What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine
Carbamazepine's FDA label of August 20, 2026 names oxcarbazepine in its drug interactions section, and oxcarbazepine's label names carbamazepine too. The oxcarbazepine label: “Reduced dose of phenytoin may be required Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, and Phenobarbital:”
Check it at the source: the carbamazepine FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 20, 2026, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation); the oxcarbazepine FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 16, 2025, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation).
What does the carbamazepine label say about oxcarbazepine?
Carbamazepine label, drug interactions… felodipine), doxycycline, eslicarbazepine, ethosuximide, everolimus, haloperidol, imatinib, itraconazole, lamotrigine, levothyroxine, methadone, methsuximide, mianserin, midazolam, olanzapine, oral and other hormonal contraceptives, oxcarbazepine, paliperidone, phensuximide, phenytoin, praziquantel, protease inhibitors, risperidone, sertraline, sirolimus, tadalafil, theophylline, tiagabine, topiramate, tramadol, trazodone, tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., imipramine, amitriptyline, nortriptyline), valproate, warfarin, ziprasidone, zonisamide.
Carbamazepine label, warningsPatients should be informed that about a third of patients who have had hypersensitivity reactions to carbamazepine also experience hypersensitivity reactions with oxcarbazepine (Trileptal ® ).
Carbatrol label (Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., August 17, 2026), drug interactionsAcetaminophen, albendazole, alprazolam, aprepitant, buprenorphine, apixaban (6), bupropion, buspirone, citalopram, clobazam, clonazepam, clozapine, corticosteroids (e.g. prednisolone, dexamethasone), cyclosporin, dabigatran (6), delavirdine, desipramine, diazepam, dicumarol, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (e.g., felodipine), doxycycline, edoxaban (6), eslicarbazepine, ethosuximide, everolimus, felbamate, haloperidol, imatinib, itraconazole, lamotrigine, levothyroxine, lorazepam, methadone, methsuximide, midazolam, mirtazapine, nefazodone, nortriptyline, olanzapine, oral and other hormonal contraceptives (2), oxcarbazepine, paliperidone, phenytoin (3), praziquantel, protease …
Equetro label (Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC, August 19, 2025), drug interactionsDrugs metabolized by CYP3A4 or CYP1A2 include the following: Acetaminophen, albendazole, alprazolam, aprepitant, buprenorphone, bupropion, buspirone, citalopram, clobazam, clonazepam, clozapine, cyclosporin, delavirdine, desipramine, diazepam, dicumarol, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (e.g., felodipine), doxycycline, ethosuximide, everolimus, felbamate, glucocorticoids, haloperidol, imatinib, itraconazole, lamotrigine, levothyroxine, lorazepam, methadone, methsuxamide, mianserin, midazolam, mirtazapine, nefazodone, olanzapine, oral and other hormonal contraceptives, oxcarbazepine, paliperidone, phenytoin, praziquantel, quetiapine, risperidone, sertraline, sirolimus, tadalafil …
Equetro label (Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC, August 19, 2025), warnings and precautionsIn patients who have exhibited hypersensitivity reactions to carbamazepine, approximately 25 to 30% may experience hypersensitivity reactions with oxcarbazepine.
Source: FDA drug label (Carbatrol, NDA020712), Takeda Pharmaceuticals America, Inc., effective August 17, 2026 (SPL set bc03e499-5bac-4293-bff4-6864153a624d), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Equetro, NDA021710), Validus Pharmaceuticals LLC, effective August 19, 2025 (SPL set be478f3c-40f6-47cc-8ab9-f420a9372b1c), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Tegretol), Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, effective August 20, 2026 (SPL set 8d409411-aa9f-4f3a-a52c-fbcb0c3ec053), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the oxcarbazepine label say about carbamazepine?
Oxcarbazepine label, drug interactionsReduced dose of phenytoin may be required ( 7.1 ) Carbamazepine, Phenytoin, and Phenobarbital:
Oxcarbazepine label, warnings and precautionsWARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Hyponatremia: Monitor serum sodium levels ( 5.1 ) Cross Hypersensitivity Reaction to Carbamazepine:
Oxtellar Xr label (Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., October 22, 2025), drug interactionsDRUG INTERACTIONS Phenytoin, Carbamazepine, and Phenobarbital: Coadministration decreased blood levels of an active metabolite of Oxtellar XR:
Source: FDA drug label (Oxtellar Xr, NDA202810), Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., effective October 22, 2025 (SPL set aa610e56-1d1d-11e1-8bc2-0800200c9a66), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Trileptal), Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, effective December 16, 2025 (SPL set 4c5c86c8-ab7f-4fcf-bc1b-5a0b1fd0691b), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Carbamazepine | Oxcarbazepine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Bipolar disorder, Seizures and epilepsy | Seizures and epilepsy |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.119 per tablet 200 mg tablet | $0.167 per tablet 300 mg tablet |
| Shortage now | A presentation being discontinued | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once