disulfiram vs metronidazole
Side-by-side comparison of disulfiram and metronidazole. 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
Drug Interactions Disulfiram Psychotic reactions have been reported in alcoholic patients who are using metronidazole and disulfiram concurrently. Metronidazole should not be given to patients who have taken disulfiram within the last two weeks (see CONTRAINDICATIONS ).
Recommendation: Do not take metronidazole if you have taken disulfiram within the last two weeks.
Antabuse
Flagyl
Disulfiram is a medicine that helps people with long-term alcohol problems stay sober. It is meant to be used with counseling and support.
Metronidazole is an antibiotic medicine. It fights bacteria and certain parasites in your body.
Disulfiram helps manage chronic alcohol problems. It is for people who want to stop drinking. This medicine works best when combined with counseling and support to help you stay sober. It is not a cure for alcoholism.
Metronidazole treats infections like trichomoniasis, amebiasis, and certain anaerobic bacterial infections. Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection. Amebiasis includes infections of the intestines and liver. Anaerobic bacteria cause infections inside the abdomen, on the skin, and in the female reproductive system.
Disulfiram blocks the body from breaking down alcohol. If you drink alcohol while taking this medicine, you will feel sick. This helps you avoid drinking alcohol.
Metronidazole works by entering the bacteria or parasite and damaging its DNA. This damage stops the bacteria or parasite from growing and multiplying. Eventually, the infection is cleared.
- • Mild drowsiness
- • Tiredness
- • Headache
- • Acne
- • Skin rash
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Loss of appetite
- • Vomiting
- • Diarrhea
- Medicine interacting with another medicine 120
- Tiredness 82
- Poisoning from different things 63
- Feeling sick to your stomach 48
- Feeling confused 47
- Nausea 4,691
- Diarrhoea 4,116
- Vomiting 3,283
- Pyrexia 3,224
- Drug Hypersensitivity 3,138
If you take disulfiram and drink alcohol, you may have a very bad reaction. This can cause flushing, headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, weakness, blurred vision, confusion, and breathing problems. In severe cases, it can cause seizures, heart problems, and even death.
Metronidazole can cause cancer in mice and rats. Only use it for the conditions listed in this leaflet. Do not drink alcohol or use products with propylene glycol while taking this medicine, and for 3 days after.
It is not known if disulfiram is safe to use during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Do not take disulfiram if you are breastfeeding.
Do not take metronidazole during the first three months of pregnancy. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking this medicine.
How to Read This disulfiram vs metronidazole Comparison
disulfiram is classified in the Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Inhibitor drug class, while metronidazole sits within the Nitroimidazole Antibiotic 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, disulfiram has 360 submissions while metronidazole has 18,452. 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 combining these two medicines can cause serious mental health problems, such as confusion or psychotic reactions.. 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 disulfiram and metronidazole - 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.