Clindamycin and Cyclosporine Ophthalmic: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Cyclosporine Ophthalmic
Clindamycin
How we grade severity & evidence
Severity levels
- Contraindicated: These should generally not be used together.
- Major: Potentially serious — often needs a change or close monitoring.
- Moderate: Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
- Minor: Usually limited clinical impact.
Evidence grades
- Established: Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
- Probable: Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
- Suspected: Some evidence suggests this interaction, but it is not well established.
- Possible: Limited or conflicting evidence; the interaction may occur.
- Theoretical: Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.
Ratings come from the documented interaction literature and are reviewed by a pharmacist. They describe the documented risk of the combination, not what will necessarily happen to you — your dose, timing, and health picture all matter.
What happens
Decreased cycloSPORINE bioavailability
Interaction Deep Dive
Two lung transplant recipients receiving cycloSPORINE therapy experienced a significant fall in their cycloSPORINE blood concentrations when clindamycin was added to therapy. The first patient was a 48-year-old female maintained on cycloSPORINE with a target concentration of 100 mcg/L to 150 mcg/L. Oral clindamycin 600 mg three times daily was begun for a bronchopulmonary infection, and cycloSPORINE levels fell below the target concentration despite a near doubling of the cycloSPORINE dose. After clindamycin was discontinued, cycloSPORINE was again decreased to its previous dose. The second patient was a 39-year-old female with cystic fibrosis who developed bilateral pneumonia. Oral clindamycin 600 mg three times daily was prescribed, and over four weeks the dose of cycloSPORINE had to be increased from 325 mg daily to 1100 mg daily to maintain a serum concentration around 200 mcg/L. After clindamycin was discontinued, the dose of cycloSPORINE was again decreased to 325 mg daily1.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Unknown
Common questions
Can I take Clindamycin and Cyclosporine Ophthalmic together?
Decreased cycloSPORINE bioavailability Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Clindamycin and Cyclosporine Ophthalmic interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "delayed". Effects tend to build up gradually over days to weeks.
How strong is the evidence for this interaction?
The evidence is graded "probable". Good supporting evidence, though not definitively proven.
From our Q&A
Real reader questions about these medications, each personally answered by our pharmacist:
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Clindamycin or Cyclosporine Ophthalmic need adjusting while I take them together?
- What symptoms should prompt me to call you or my prescriber right away?
- Does the timing of my doses matter for this combination?
- Is there anything you'd monitor while I'm on both?
References (1)
- Thurnheer R, Laube I, & Speich R: Possible interaction between clindamycin and cyclosporin (letter). Br Med J 1999; 319:163.
Keep reading about Cyclosporine Ophthalmic
Keep reading about Clindamycin
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Prescription drugs aren't the whole picture — herbal and dietary supplements can interact with them too. From the evidence-graded Natural Medicines database:
major · moderate · minor — check everything you take with our drug–supplement interaction checker.
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