Drug Interaction Report

Gemifloxacin and Quercetin: Interaction Details

AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature

Gemifloxacin

Factive Factive®
+

Quercetin

No brand names on record
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Medically reviewed by
Updated Aug 8, 2026
LinkedIn
Interaction severity
Moderate
Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
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.

Of 327 documented Gemifloxacin interactions, 21 are rated moderate — including this one.
Onset
unspecified
Evidence
theoretical
Severity
Moderate

What happens

Reduced fluoroquinolone effectiveness

Interaction Deep Dive

In vitro, quercetin competitively inhibits binding to DNA gyrase by quinolone antibiotics1. Though the effect in humans is unknown, caution is advised if quercetin is taken with fluoroquinolones.

Why it happens (mechanism)

Competitive inhibition of binding to DNA gyrase by quinolone antibiotics

Literature reports

1 report — tap to read

a) In vitro, quercetin exhibited competition with 3(H) norfloxacin for binding to DNA gyrase, though at much higher concentrations than quinolone antibiotics tested. The IC50 of quercetin was 7.80 micromoles (mcmol) compared with the IC50 of traditional quinolones: levofloxacin 2.9 mcmol; ciprofloxacin 3 mcmol; ofloxacin 3.55 mcmol; norfloxacin 3.8 mcmol 1.

Common questions

Can I take Gemifloxacin and Quercetin together?

Reduced fluoroquinolone effectiveness Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.

How serious is the Gemifloxacin and Quercetin interaction?

It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.

How quickly could this interaction happen?

The documented onset is "unspecified". The timing of this interaction is not well characterized.

How strong is the evidence for this interaction?

The evidence is graded "theoretical". Predicted from the drugs' pharmacology; not yet confirmed in people.

Questions for your pharmacist

  • Does my dose of Gemifloxacin or Quercetin 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)

  1. Hilliard JJ, Krause HM, Bernstein JA, et al: A comparison of active site binding of 4-quinolones and novel flavone gyrase inhibitors to DNA gyrase. Adv Exp Med Biol 1995; 390:59-69. PubMed
Was this write-up helpful?
Beyond drug–drug

These medications also interact with supplements

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.

Check another combination

Our instant two-drug interaction checker is almost here.

Coming soon

The instant two-drug checker is on its way.

In the meantime, browse the directory below to look up any drug and see its documented interactions.

Still have questions about this combination?

Every question gets a real answer from a licensed pharmacist — free, and usually within a day.

Ask the pharmacist
This information is for education, not a substitute for professional medical advice. Do not start, stop, or change any medication without talking to your pharmacist or prescriber.