Skip to main content

Drug Interactions between benznidazole and zalcitabine

This report displays the potential drug interactions for the following 2 drugs:

Edit list (add/remove drugs)

Interactions between your drugs

Moderate

zalcitabine benznidazole

Applies to: zalcitabine and benznidazole

GENERALLY AVOID: Zalcitabine can cause peripheral neuropathy in up to one-third of patients with advanced HIV disease, and concurrent use of other agents that are also associated with this adverse effect can potentiate the risk and/or severity of nerve damage. Zalcitabine-related peripheral neuropathy is a sensorimotor neuropathy characterized initially by numbness and burning dysesthesia involving the distal extremities. These symptoms may be followed by sharp shooting pains or severe continuous burning pain if the drug is not withdrawn, and progress to severe pain requiring narcotic analgesics. The neuropathy is potentially irreversible. However, with prompt discontinuation of zalcitabine, it is usually slowly reversible, although symptoms may initially progress following discontinuation.

MANAGEMENT: Use of zalcitabine with other drugs that have the potential to cause peripheral neuropathy should be avoided whenever possible. Otherwise, careful monitoring is recommended for symptoms of neuropathy such as burning, tingling, pain, numbness, or weakness in the extremities, particularly in patients with a low CD4 cell count or diabetes. Since the development of peripheral neuropathy appears to be dose-related, the recommended dosage of zalcitabine should not be exceeded. Patients should be advised to promptly discontinue zalcitabine therapy and contact their physician if neuropathy develops. Therapy may be reinstituted following resolution of neuropathy symptoms, but dosage should be reduced to one-half the initially recommended dosage. Zalcitabine should be permanently discontinued in patients who develop severe peripheral neuropathy during treatment.

References

  1. "Product Information. HIVID (zalcitabine)." Roche Laboratories PROD (2001):
  2. Argov Z, Mastaglia FL "Drug-induced peripheral neuropathies." Br Med J 1 (1979): 663-6

Switch to consumer interaction data

Drug and food interactions

Major

benznidazole food

Applies to: benznidazole

CONTRAINDICATED: Use of alcohol or products containing alcohol during nitroimidazole therapy may result in a disulfiram-like reaction in some patients. There have been a few case reports involving metronidazole, although data overall are not convincing. The presumed mechanism is inhibition of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) by metronidazole in a manner similar to disulfiram. Following ingestion of alcohol, inhibition of ALDH results in increased concentrations of acetaldehyde, the accumulation of which can produce an unpleasant physiologic response referred to as the 'disulfiram reaction'. Symptoms include flushing, throbbing in head and neck, throbbing headache, respiratory difficulty, nausea, vomiting, sweating, thirst, chest pain, palpitation, dyspnea, hyperventilation, tachycardia, hypotension, syncope, weakness, vertigo, blurred vision, and confusion. Severe reactions may result in respiratory depression, cardiovascular collapse, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, acute congestive heart failure, unconsciousness, convulsions, and death. However, some investigators have questioned the disulfiram-like properties of metronidazole. One study found neither elevations in blood acetaldehyde nor objective or subjective signs of a disulfiram-like reaction to ethanol in six subjects treated with metronidazole (200 mg three times a day for 5 days) compared to six subjects who received placebo.

MANAGEMENT: Because clear evidence is lacking concerning the safety of ethanol use during nitroimidazole therapy, patients should be apprised of the potential for interaction. Consumption of alcoholic beverages and products containing propylene glycol is specifically contraindicated during and for at least 3 days after completion of metronidazole and benznidazole therapy according to their product labeling.

References

  1. Giannini AJ, DeFrance DT "Metronidazole and alcohol: potential for combinative abuse." J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 20 (1983): 509-15
  2. Alexander I "Alcohol-antabuse syndrome in patients receiving metronidazole during gynaecological treatment." Br J Clin Pract 39 (1985): 292-3
  3. Harries DP, Teale KF, Sunderland G "Metronidazole and alcohol: potential problems." Scott Med J 35 (1990): 179-80
  4. "Product Information. Flagyl (metronidazole)." Searle PROD (2001):
  5. Edwards DL, Fink PC, Van Dyke PO "Disulfiram-like reaction associated with intravenous trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and metronidazole." Clin Pharm 5 (1986): 999-1000
  6. Williams CS, Woodcock KR "Do ethanol and metronidazole interact to produce a disulfiram-like reaction?." Ann Pharmacother 34 (2000): 255-7
  7. Visapaa JP, Tillonen JS, Kaihovaara PS, Salaspuro MP "Lack of disulfiram-like reaction with metronidazole and ethanol." Ann Pharmacother 36 (2002): 971-4
  8. Krulewitch CJ "An unexpected adverse drug effect." J Midwifery Womens Health 48 (2003): 67-8
  9. "Product Information. Benznidazole (benznidazole)." Everett Laboratories Inc (2017):
View all 9 references

Switch to consumer interaction data

Minor

zalcitabine food

Applies to: zalcitabine

Zalcitabine bioavailability may be decreased by 14% if taken with meals. The mechanism and clinical significance are unknown.

References

  1. "Product Information. HIVID (zalcitabine)." Roche Laboratories PROD (2001):

Switch to consumer interaction data

Therapeutic duplication warnings

No warnings were found for your selected drugs.

Therapeutic duplication warnings are only returned when drugs within the same group exceed the recommended therapeutic duplication maximum.

See also

Report options

Loading...
QR code containing a link to this page

Drug Interaction Classification

These classifications are only a guideline. The relevance of a particular drug interaction to a specific individual is difficult to determine. Always consult your healthcare provider before starting or stopping any medication.
Major Highly clinically significant. Avoid combinations; the risk of the interaction outweighs the benefit.
Moderate Moderately clinically significant. Usually avoid combinations; use it only under special circumstances.
Minor Minimally clinically significant. Minimize risk; assess risk and consider an alternative drug, take steps to circumvent the interaction risk and/or institute a monitoring plan.
Unknown No interaction information available.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer