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alosetron vs ketoconazole

Side-by-side comparison of alosetron and ketoconazole. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

7.2 CYP3A4 Inhibitors Ketoconazole is a known strong inhibitor of CYP3A4. In a pharmacokinetic study, 38 healthy female subjects received ketoconazole 200 mg twice daily for 7 days, with coadministration of alosetron 1 mg on the last day. Ketoconazole increased mean alosetron plasma concentrations (AUC) by 29%.

Recommendation: Your doctor may need to watch you more closely for side effects while you are taking both drugs.

Drug Class
alosetron 5-HT3 Antagonist (IBS-D)
ketoconazole Azole Antifungal
Type
alosetron Prescription
ketoconazole Over-the-Counter
Summary
alosetron

Alosetron (Lotronex) is a medicine for women with severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It helps to reduce diarrhea and stomach pain.

ketoconazole

Ketoconazole shampoo is an antifungal medicine. It treats a fungal infection on your skin.

What It Treats
alosetron

Alosetron is used to treat severe diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in women. It is for women whose IBS symptoms have lasted for 6 months or longer. You should have already ruled out other possible causes of your symptoms. This medicine is only for you if other treatments have not worked well enough.

ketoconazole

This shampoo treats tinea versicolor, a fungal infection. This infection can cause patches on your skin that are lighter or darker than the surrounding skin. These patches may appear on your trunk, neck, arms, and upper thighs.

How It Works
alosetron

Alosetron blocks a substance called serotonin in your gut. Serotonin can speed up bowel movements. By blocking serotonin, alosetron slows down your bowel and reduces diarrhea.

ketoconazole

Ketoconazole is an antifungal medicine. It works by stopping the growth of the fungus. This helps to clear up the infection.

Common Side Effects
alosetron
  • Constipation
  • Abdominal discomfort and pain
  • Nausea
  • Gastrointestinal discomfort and pain
ketoconazole

No common side effects listed.

FAERS Reports
alosetron
  • Diarrhea 10
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 8
  • Stomach pain 6
  • Death 6
  • Having trouble passing stool 5
ketoconazole
  • Feeling tired 929
  • Itching 902
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 834
  • Skin breakout 802
  • Loose stool 760
Serious Warnings
alosetron

Alosetron can cause serious gut problems, like ischemic colitis (reduced blood flow to the bowel) and severe constipation. These problems can lead to hospitalization, surgery, or even death. Stop taking alosetron right away if you get constipated or have symptoms of ischemic colitis, like bloody diarrhea or bad stomach pain. Call your doctor immediately.

ketoconazole

You should not use this shampoo if you are allergic to ketoconazole or any of the other ingredients.

Pregnancy
alosetron

It is not known if alosetron can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if alosetron passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you take alosetron.

ketoconazole

It is not known if ketoconazole shampoo can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This alosetron vs ketoconazole Comparison

alosetron is classified in the 5-HT3 Antagonist (IBS-D) drug class, while ketoconazole sits within the Azole Antifungal class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are split between OTC and prescription status, which affects access and supervision.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, alosetron has 35 submissions while ketoconazole has 4,227. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to ketoconazole stops the body from breaking down alosetron as quickly as usual, which increases the amount of drug in your blood.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between alosetron and ketoconazole - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.