methylprednisolone vs nitrofurantoin

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 methylprednisolone and nitrofurantoin. 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

Examples of Drugs Associated with Methemoglobinemia: Class Examples Nitrates/Nitrites nitric oxide, nitroglycerin, nitroprusside, nitrous oxide Local anesthetics articaine, benzocaine, bupivacaine, lidocaine, mepivacaine, prilocaine, procaine, ropivacaine, tetracaine Antineoplastic agents cyclophosphamide, flutamide, hydroxyurea, isofamide, rasburicase Antibiotics dapsone, nitrofurantoin, para-aminosalicylic acid, sulfonamides Antimalarials chloroquine, primaquine Anticonvulsants phenobarbital, phenytoin, sodium valproate Other drugs acetaminophen, metoclopramide, quinine, sulfasalazine...

Drug Class
methylprednisolone Corticosteroid
nitrofurantoin Nitrofuran Antibiotic
Type
methylprednisolone Prescription
nitrofurantoin Prescription
Summary
methylprednisolone

Methylprednisolone (Medrol) is a corticosteroid medicine. It reduces inflammation and affects the immune system.

nitrofurantoin

Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic medicine. It is used to treat infections of the urinary tract.

What It Treats
methylprednisolone

This medicine can treat many conditions. It can help with allergies, skin problems, and hormone imbalances. It can also help with gut and blood disorders.

nitrofurantoin

This medicine treats urinary tract infections (UTIs). It works against certain bacteria like E. coli, Enterococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella, and Enterobacter. It is not for treating kidney infections or abscesses around the kidney.

How It Works
methylprednisolone

Methylprednisolone reduces inflammation in the body. It also changes how your immune system works. This can help control symptoms of different diseases.

nitrofurantoin

Nitrofurantoin is an antibiotic that stops bacteria from growing. It damages the bacteria's DNA, which kills the bacteria. This helps to clear up the infection in your urinary tract.

Common Side Effects
methylprednisolone

No common side effects listed.

nitrofurantoin
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Vomiting
FAERS Reports
methylprednisolone
  • Fatigue 7,793
  • Pain 7,274
  • Nausea 7,213
  • Headache 7,058
  • Pyrexia 6,883
nitrofurantoin
  • Urinary Tract Infection 1,301
  • Fatigue 1,240
  • Nausea 1,187
  • Headache 1,103
  • Pain 964
Serious Warnings
methylprednisolone

This medicine is not for injection into the spine. This can cause serious medical problems. Do not take this medicine if you have a fungal infection, unless it's a localized joint condition.

nitrofurantoin

This medicine can cause serious side effects. Rarely, it can cause deadly allergic reactions, lung problems, liver problems, and nerve damage. Tell your doctor right away if you have trouble breathing, yellowing of the skin, numbness, or tingling.

Pregnancy
methylprednisolone

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits.

nitrofurantoin

Do not take this medicine if you are 38-42 weeks pregnant or in labor. It could cause anemia in the baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This methylprednisolone vs nitrofurantoin Comparison

methylprednisolone is classified in the Corticosteroid drug class, while nitrofurantoin sits within the Nitrofuran 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, methylprednisolone has 36,221 submissions while nitrofurantoin has 5,795. 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 these medications can both contribute to a blood disorder that prevents oxygen from reaching your body's tissues properly. this is a rare but serious side effect mentioned in the drug safety information.. 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 methylprednisolone or nitrofurantoin.

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