Norfloxacin and antacid

Question:

1. What is the reason why do not use norfloxacin with antacids.

2. Is it eaten with milk, yes or not?

3. The doctor prescribed this drug to me several times, each time I never take medicine out. What will happen and what effect is it?

Answer:

1. Antacid is the drug which contains aluminium, magnesium or calcium. They will reduce the absorption of drugs in group of fluoroquinolones (norfloxacin is in this group). So norfloxacin should not be eaten together with antacids.

Norfloxacin should eat at least two hours before or after eating antacids. The other drugs in fluoroquinolones may vary slightly. Mostly it is recommended to eat before antacids at least two hours, but period after taking antacids may be different, such as ciprofloxacin and lomefloxacin should be eaten after antacids for at least six hours.

2. Dairy products include milk and foods that are made from milk. And milk also contains high amounts of calcium. So, they can reduce the absorption of norfloxacin.

Norfloxacin should be taken before meals or milk products for at least one hour and after a meal or dairy products for at least two hours.

3. It is important to take all of your medication as instructed by your doctor, even if you are feeling better in a few days. Not finishing the complete dose of norfloxacin may decrease the drug's effectiveness and increase the chances for bacterial resistance to norfloxacin and similar antibiotic.

References:

The document recommended reading for the first answer.

1. http://www.drugs.com/MMX/Magaldrate.html

2. Nix DE, et al. Inhibition of norfloxacin absorption by antacids. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1990; 34: 432-5

3. Minami R, et al. Effect of milk on absorption of norfloxacin in healthy volunteers. J Clin Pharmacol 1993; 33: 1238-40

4. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a687006.ht