dronabinol vs ketoconazole

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Side-by-side comparison of dronabinol 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

Monitor for potentially increased dronabinol-related adverse reactions when dronabinol capsules are co-administered with inhibitors of CYP2C9 (e.g., amiodarone, fluconazole) and inhibitors of CYP3A4 enzymes (e.g., ketoconazole, itraconazole, clarithromycin, ritonavir, erythromycin, grapefruit juice).

Drug Class
dronabinol Cannabinoid Antiemetic
ketoconazole Azole Antifungal
Type
dronabinol Prescription
ketoconazole Over-the-Counter
Summary
dronabinol

Dronabinol capsules contain a synthetic form of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. It is used to treat loss of appetite in AIDS patients and nausea/vomiting from chemotherapy.

ketoconazole

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

What It Treats
dronabinol

Dronabinol is used to treat loss of appetite and weight loss in adults with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). It also helps with nausea and vomiting caused by cancer chemotherapy when other treatments don't work well. Dronabinol can help you eat more and feel less sick.

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
dronabinol

Dronabinol works by activating cannabinoid receptors in your brain. These receptors affect appetite, mood, and the sensation of nausea. By activating these receptors, dronabinol can increase appetite and reduce nausea and vomiting.

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
dronabinol
  • Abdominal pain
  • Dizziness
  • Feeling very happy
  • Nausea
  • Feeling paranoid
ketoconazole

No common side effects listed.

FAERS Reports
dronabinol
  • Nausea 878
  • Fatigue 696
  • Diarrhoea 604
  • Death 593
  • Vomiting 580
ketoconazole
  • Fatigue 929
  • Pruritus 902
  • Nausea 834
  • Rash 802
  • Diarrhoea 760
Serious Warnings
dronabinol

Dronabinol can cause mental and mood changes. Tell your doctor if you have a history of mental illness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medicine affects you. This medicine can also affect your heart, causing changes in blood pressure or heart rate. Dronabinol may also increase the risk of seizures.

ketoconazole

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

Pregnancy
dronabinol

Dronabinol may harm your unborn baby. Avoid using this medicine if you are pregnant. If you are breastfeeding and have HIV, do not breastfeed due to the risk of passing HIV to your baby.

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 dronabinol vs ketoconazole Comparison

dronabinol is classified in the Cannabinoid Antiemetic 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, dronabinol has 3,351 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 blocks the natural process your body uses to get rid of dronabinol. this can cause dronabinol levels to build up, making side effects more likely.. 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 dronabinol or ketoconazole.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.