Skip to main content

What the FDA labels say about taking them together

Ephedrine and prednisolone

Prednisolone's FDA label of June 25, 2026 names ephedrine in its drug interactions section; the ephedrine labels PlainMeds reads (4) do not name prednisolone. The prednisolone label: “Drug Interactions Drugs such as barbiturates, phenytoin, ephedrine, and rifampin, which induce hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing enzyme activity may enhance metabolism of prednisolone and require that the dosage of …”

Check it at the source: the ephedrine FDA label on DailyMed (effective September 16, 2024, Nexus Pharmaceuticals, LLC); the prednisolone FDA label on DailyMed (effective June 25, 2026, PAI Holdings, LLC dba PAI Pharma).

What does the ephedrine label say about prednisolone?

Ephedrine's label (effective September 16, 2024) and its 3 other brand-application labels do not name prednisolone in these sections. A label lists what its studies and reports found; it is not a complete list.

Source: FDA drug label (Emerphed PFS), Nexus Pharmaceuticals, LLC, effective September 16, 2024 (SPL set 14601778-93ac-43ec-b66b-5a942317133f), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed

What does the prednisolone label say about ephedrine?

Prednisolone label, drug interactions

Drug Interactions Drugs such as barbiturates, phenytoin, ephedrine, and rifampin, which induce hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing enzyme activity may enhance metabolism of prednisolone and require that the dosage of Prednisolone Sodium Phosphate Oral Solution be increased.

Orapred Odt label (Advanz Pharma (US) Corp., June 3, 2025), drug interactions

CYP 3A4 inducers (e.g. barbiturates, phenytoin, carbamazepine, and rifampin): Drugs such as barbiturates, phenytoin, ephedrine, and rifampin, which induce hepatic microsomal drug metabolizing enzyme activity may enhance metabolism of prednisolone and require that the dosage of Orapred be increased.

Source: FDA drug label (Orapred Odt, NDA021959), Advanz Pharma (US) Corp., effective June 3, 2025 (SPL set 1e379543-c4cf-4e72-953b-db15b7f0c2a1), via openFDA

Source: FDA drug label (PrednisoLONE Sodium Phosphate), PAI Holdings, LLC dba PAI Pharma, effective June 25, 2026 (SPL set d1f937e7-fed5-4079-bd52-5d930b34ae9f), 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

19Ephedrine generic labelers
25Prednisolone generic labelers
EphedrinePrednisolone
Labeled forAsthmaAnemia, Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma, Multiple sclerosis, Osteoarthritis, Asthma, Allergies, Herpes and shingles, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, Eczema (atopic dermatitis), Organ transplant rejection
Boxed warningNoNo
Pharmacy cost (NADAC)n/a$4.72 per mL 1% eye drop
Shortage nowNo current entryNo 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?