What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Cytarabine and prednisone
Cytarabine's FDA label of April 7, 2025 names prednisone in its drug interactions section; the prednisone label PlainMeds reads does not name cytarabine. The cytarabine label: “… beta-acetyldigoxin and chemotherapy regimens containing cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone with or without cytarabine injection or procarbazine.”
Check it at the source: the cytarabine FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 7, 2025, Hospira, Inc.); the prednisone FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 22, 2025, Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.).
What does the cytarabine label say about prednisone?
Cytarabine label, drug interactionsDrug Interactions Reversible decreases in steady-state plasma digoxin concentrations and renal glycoside excretion were observed in patients receiving beta-acetyldigoxin and chemotherapy regimens containing cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone with or without cytarabine injection or procarbazine.
Source: FDA drug label (Cytarabine), Hospira, Inc., effective April 7, 2025 (SPL set e3a8c0e9-19ed-49b7-8464-11e8806f47fd), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the prednisone label say about cytarabine?
Prednisone's label (effective April 22, 2025) does not name cytarabine in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.
Source: FDA drug label (PredniSONE), Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., effective April 22, 2025 (SPL set 3115aef0-fd50-4ec8-a064-3effb695f3f2), 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
| Cytarabine | Prednisone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma | Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Allergies, Herpes and shingles, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Multiple sclerosis, Eczema (atopic dermatitis), Anemia, Organ transplant rejection |
| Boxed warning | Yes | No |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | n/a | $0.0643 per tablet 20 mg tablet |
| Shortage now | No current entry | 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