clarithromycin vs phenobarbital
According to this portal's Publishing Organization, this page was last reviewed in August 2026 against our methodology. Figures and extracts on this site, including tables above 1,000 rows when the corpus is that large, are the publisher's responsibility.
Side-by-side comparison of clarithromycin and phenobarbital. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
moderate Known Drug Interaction
Other Drugs Metabolized by CYP3A: Alfentanil Bromocriptine Cilostazol Methylprednisolone Vinblastine Phenobarbital St. John’s Wort Use With Caution There have been spontaneous or published reports of CYP3A based interactions of clarithromycin with alfentanil, methylprednisolone, cilostazol, bromocriptine, vinblastine, phenobarbital, and St.
Biaxin
Luminal
Clarithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections. It belongs to a class of drugs called macrolides.
Phenobarbital is a medicine that can help control seizures and calm you down. It belongs to a class of drugs called barbiturates.
Clarithromycin treats mild to moderate infections caused by certain bacteria. It can treat bronchitis, sinus infections, pneumonia, and throat/tonsil infections. It also treats skin infections, ear infections in children, certain mycobacterial infections, and H. pylori infections that cause ulcers.
This medicine is used to treat generalized and partial seizures. Seizures are caused by unusual electrical activity in the brain. Phenobarbital helps to reduce this activity and prevent seizures.
Clarithromycin works by stopping the growth of bacteria. It prevents bacteria from making proteins they need to survive. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Phenobarbital works by slowing down the activity of your brain and nervous system. It increases the effects of a natural chemical in the body called GABA. This helps to reduce seizures and promote relaxation.
- • Abdominal pain
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Taste changes
- • Drowsiness
- • Sedation
- • Lethargy
- • Vertigo
- Drug Interaction 2,906
- Nausea 2,214
- Dyspnoea 1,959
- Diarrhoea 1,937
- Malaise 1,650
- Seizure 1,534
- Drug Interaction 635
- Toxicity To Various Agents 621
- Status Epilepticus 482
- Multiple-Drug Resistance 442
Clarithromycin can cause severe allergic reactions. Stop taking it and get medical help right away if you have signs of a reaction. This medicine can also cause heart rhythm problems (QT prolongation) and liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have heart or liver issues. Clarithromycin may increase the risk of death in patients with coronary artery disease.
You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to barbiturates. Also, do not take it if you have a history of porphyria, severe liver problems, or breathing problems.
Clarithromycin is not recommended during pregnancy unless there are no other options. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if clarithromycin passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Phenobarbital can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while breastfeeding.
Also Compare, Nearby Drugs
Compare clarithromycin with
Compare phenobarbital with
How to Read This clarithromycin vs phenobarbital Comparison
clarithromycin is classified in the Macrolide Antibiotic drug class, while phenobarbital sits within the Anticonvulsant (Barbiturate) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, clarithromycin has 10,666 submissions while phenobarbital has 3,714. 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 moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to clarithromycin affects the enzyme system that processes phenobarbital, which can change how much of the drug stays in your body.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for clarithromycin or phenobarbital.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.