lithium vs metronidazole
Side-by-side comparison of lithium 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
Lithium In patients stabilized on relatively high doses of lithium, short-term metronidazole therapy has been associated with elevation of serum lithium and, in a few cases, signs of lithium toxicity. Serum lithium and serum creatinine levels should be obtained several days after beginning metronidazole to detect any increase that may precede clinical symptoms of lithium intoxication.
Recommendation: Your doctor should check your lithium and kidney levels a few days after you start metronidazole to ensure they stay in a safe range.
Lithobid, Eskalith
Flagyl
Lithium is a mood stabilizer medicine. It helps to balance mood swings.
Metronidazole is an antibiotic medicine. It fights bacteria and certain parasites in your body.
Lithium is used to treat bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder causes unusual shifts in mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. Lithium helps to control the extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression) of this condition.
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.
Lithium affects the flow of sodium in nerve and muscle cells in the body. This helps to stabilize your mood. It may also affect other chemical messenger systems in the brain.
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.
- • Tremor (shaking)
- • Nausea
- • Increased weight
- • Fatigue (feeling tired)
- • Vomiting
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Loss of appetite
- • Vomiting
- • Diarrhea
- Poisoning from different substances 2,179
- The drug is reacting with another medicine 1,526
- Shaking 1,463
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,344
- Gaining weight 1,153
- Nausea 4,691
- Diarrhoea 4,116
- Vomiting 3,283
- Pyrexia 3,224
- Drug Hypersensitivity 3,138
Lithium levels in your blood need to be monitored closely by your doctor. Too much lithium can be toxic and cause serious side effects. Make sure to attend all scheduled blood tests.
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.
Lithium can harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Lithium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing infant. Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your baby if you are taking lithium.
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 lithium vs metronidazole Comparison
lithium is classified in the Mood Stabilizer 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, lithium has 7,665 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 metronidazole can cause lithium to build up in your body, which may lead to lithium poisoning.. 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 lithium 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.