🧾 Allergen Alias Guide
If you’ve ever read a drug label and wondered whether an ingredient might relate to your allergy, you’re not alone. Many allergens appear under scientific or chemical names that look harmless. This guide helps you recognize the most common “aliases” so you can spot potential triggers before taking a medication.
🥛 Milk (Dairy)
Aliases: Lactose, lactose monohydrate, whey, casein, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, milk protein, butterfat, cream powder, ghee.
Where found: Tablets, capsules, inhalers, and chewables — used as fillers, stabilizers, or flow agents.
Note: Even “lactose-free” foods don’t guarantee “lactose-free” medicines. If you’re allergic to milk protein or sugar, ask for a dairy-free formulation.
🍳 Egg
Aliases: Albumin, ovalbumin, ovoglobulin, ovomucoid, livetin.
Where found: Some vaccines, anesthetics, and topical creams.
Tip: Severe egg allergy? Confirm vaccine ingredients with your provider before immunization.
🌿 Soy
Aliases: Lecithin, soybean oil, hydrogenated soybean oil, glycine max, soy isoflavone, soya.
Where found: Vitamin capsules, inhalers, hormone injections, softgels.
Note: Soy lecithin is a frequent emulsifier; even trace amounts can matter for sensitive users.
🌾 Wheat / Gluten
Aliases: Wheat starch, pregelatinized starch, dextrin, maltodextrin, barley extract, rye flour, modified food starch (source sometimes unspecified).
Where found: Oral tablets and chewables.
Tip: Ask the pharmacist to verify if the manufacturer certifies gluten-free status.
🥜 Peanut
Aliases: Arachis oil, groundnut oil, peanut oil.
Where found: Topical creams, vitamin E preparations, progesterone oil injections.
Caution: Even refined peanut oil may contain trace protein; confirm with the manufacturer.
🌽 Corn
Aliases: Corn starch, maize starch, dextrose, maltodextrin, sorbitol, fructose (when derived from corn).
Where found: Fillers, sweeteners, syrups, and IV solutions.
Tip: Corn-free alternatives exist but must be specifically requested.
🐟 Fish & Shellfish
Aliases: Fish oil, cod-liver oil, omega-3 fatty acids, chitosan, glucosamine (may be shellfish-derived).
Where found: Supplements, topical ointments, sustained-release coatings.
Tip: Look for plant-based omega-3 or synthetic glucosamine labels.
🍯 Tree Nuts
Aliases: Almond oil, walnut oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil (technically a seed but often grouped).
Where found: Creams, ointments, lip balms, softgels.
Caution: “Natural oils” can mask nut origins; verify if cold-pressed from tree nuts.
🌰 Sesame & Seeds
Aliases: Sesamum indicum, tahini, benne, gingelly oil.
Where found: Topical products, vitamin oils, parenteral nutrition emulsions.
Tip: Check for “seed oil” generics; sesame can hide behind botanical names.
🌈 Artificial Dyes & Colorants
Aliases: FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine), FD&C Red 40, Blue 1, Green 3, D&C dyes, iron oxide pigments.
Where found: Chewable and liquid medications.
Tip: Request dye-free or clear versions when possible.
⚗️ Preservatives & Additives
Aliases: Sodium benzoate, parabens (methyl-, propyl-, butyl-), sulfites, PEG (polyethylene glycol), polysorbate 80.
Where found: Injections, topical creams, suspensions.
Note: These aren’t classic food allergens but can cause sensitivity reactions.
🩺 How to Use This Guide
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Compare label ingredients to this list of aliases.
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Use PillParser.com to search any medication name and view its full ingredient list.
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When uncertain, ask your pharmacist or the manufacturer directly.
Remember: Ingredients can vary by manufacturer and dosage form — the same medication name may not always mean the same formulation.