piperacillin/tazobactam vs probenecid
Side-by-side comparison of piperacillin/tazobactam and probenecid. 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
( 7.1 ) • Probenecid prolongs the half-lives of piperacillin and tazobactam and should not be co-administered with ZOSYN unless the benefit outweighs the risk. 7.2 Probenecid Probenecid administered concomitantly with ZOSYN prolongs the half-life of piperacillin by 21% and that of tazobactam by 71% because probenecid inhibits tubular renal secretion of both piperacillin and tazobactam. Probenecid should not be co-administered with ZOSYN unless the benefit outweighs the risk.
Recommendation: You should not take these together unless your doctor determines the benefits are greater than the risks.
Zosyn
Benemid
Zosyn is a combination of two medicines, piperacillin and tazobactam. It is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infections.
No summary available.
Zosyn treats several types of infections caused by bacteria. It can treat infections in the stomach area for adults and kids 2 months and older. It can also treat pneumonia that starts in the hospital for adults and kids 2 months and older. In adults, Zosyn can treat skin infections, infections in the female pelvis, and pneumonia that starts outside the hospital.
Information not available.
Piperacillin kills bacteria. Tazobactam helps piperacillin work better by blocking enzymes that can break down piperacillin. This allows piperacillin to effectively fight the infection.
Information not available.
- • Diarrhea
- • Constipation
- • Nausea
- • Headache
- • Trouble sleeping
- • Diarrhea
- • Nausea
- • Yeast infection of the vagina
- • Headache
- • Vomiting
- Acute Kidney Injury 915
- Pyrexia 869
- Thrombocytopenia 471
- Drug Interaction 463
- Pneumonia 450
- Diarrhea 76
- Difficulty breathing 52
- Adenovirus infection 47
- Weakness 47
- Tiredness 46
Zosyn can cause severe allergic reactions. Tell your doctor right away if you have a rash or trouble breathing. Zosyn can also cause severe skin reactions, blood problems, seizures, kidney problems, and severe diarrhea. If you have any of these, contact your doctor immediately.
No specific warnings noted.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if Zosyn will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of using Zosyn during pregnancy. It is also not known if Zosyn passes into breast milk.
No pregnancy information available.
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How to Read This piperacillin/tazobactam vs probenecid Comparison
piperacillin/tazobactam is classified in the Penicillin / Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor drug class, while probenecid sits within the Uricosuric Agent 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, piperacillin/tazobactam has 3,168 submissions while probenecid has 268. 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 probenecid prevents your kidneys from clearing the antibiotic out of your system, which makes the drug stay in your body for a longer time.. 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 piperacillin/tazobactam and probenecid - 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.