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rifampin vs tasimelteon

Side-by-side comparison of rifampin and tasimelteon. 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 DRUG INTERACTIONS Strong CYP1A2 inhibitors (e.g., fluvoxamine): Avoid use of tasimelteon in combination with strong CYP1A2 inhibitors because of increased exposure ( 7.1 , 12.3 ) Strong CYP3A4 inducers (e.g., rifampin): Avoid use of tasimelteon in combination with rifampin or other CYP3A4 inducers, because of decreased exposure ( 7.2 , 12.3 ) 7.1 Strong CYP1A2 Inhibitors (e.g., fluvoxamine) Avoid use of tasimelteon in combination with fluvoxamine or other strong CYP1A2 inhibitors because of a potentially large increase in tasimelteon exposure and greater risk of adverse reactions [see...

Recommendation: Avoid using these two drugs together. Rifampin will likely prevent tasimelteon from working correctly.

Drug Class
rifampin Rifamycin Antibiotic
tasimelteon Melatonin Receptor Agonist
Type
rifampin Prescription
tasimelteon Prescription
Summary
rifampin

Rifampin is an antibiotic medicine. It fights bacteria in your body to treat infections.

tasimelteon

Tasimelteon (Hetlioz) is a medicine that helps people with Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (Non-24) sleep better. It works by acting like melatonin in your body.

What It Treats
rifampin

Rifampin treats tuberculosis (TB) and helps eliminate the bacteria that cause meningitis from your nose and throat. It is important to use rifampin only for infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria. This helps to prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to the medicine.

tasimelteon

Tasimelteon is used to treat Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (Non-24) in adults. Non-24 is a condition where your body's natural sleep-wake cycle is longer than 24 hours. This medicine can help you sleep better at night.

How It Works
rifampin

Rifampin works by stopping bacteria from growing and multiplying. It does this by blocking a key enzyme that the bacteria need to make proteins. This helps your body fight off the infection.

tasimelteon

Tasimelteon is a melatonin receptor agonist. This means it works like melatonin, a natural hormone in your body that helps regulate sleep. By acting like melatonin, tasimelteon helps to adjust your body's sleep-wake cycle.

Common Side Effects
rifampin
  • Heartburn
  • Upset stomach
  • Loss of appetite
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
tasimelteon
  • Headache
  • Increased liver enzyme (alanine aminotransferase)
  • Nightmares or unusual dreams
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Urinary tract infection
FAERS Reports
rifampin
  • Drug Interaction 970
  • Drug Reaction With Eosinophilia And Systemic Symptoms 727
  • Nausea 628
  • Condition Aggravated 550
  • Pyrexia 541
tasimelteon
  • Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep 727
  • Waking up in the middle of the night 412
  • Sleepiness 408
  • Headache 384
  • Nightmare 268
Serious Warnings
rifampin

Rifampin can cause liver problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, or stomach pain. Rifampin can also cause blood problems. Tell your doctor if you have unusual bleeding or bruising.

tasimelteon

After taking tasimelteon, limit your activities to getting ready for bed. This medicine can make you sleepy and affect your ability to think clearly.

Pregnancy
rifampin

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Rifampin can make birth control pills less effective, so use other forms of birth control. Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

tasimelteon

There isn't enough information about using tasimelteon during pregnancy to know if it's safe. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if tasimelteon passes into breast milk, so discuss breastfeeding with your doctor.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

Compare tasimelteon with

How to Read This rifampin vs tasimelteon Comparison

rifampin is classified in the Rifamycin Antibiotic drug class, while tasimelteon sits within the Melatonin Receptor Agonist 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, rifampin has 3,416 submissions while tasimelteon has 2,199. 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 rifampin causes your body to clear tasimelteon much faster than normal. this lowers the amount of medicine in your system and makes it less effective.. 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 rifampin and tasimelteon - 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.