Rifabutin and Didanosine: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Rifabutin
Didanosine
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
Increased didanosine plasma concentrations
Interaction Deep Dive
In a drug interaction study (n=11), didanosine AUC and Cmax increased by 13% (95% confidence interval (CI), -1 to 27%) and 17% (95% CI, -4 to 38%), respectively, when rifabutin 300 or 600 mg/day for 12 days was coadministered with a buffered formulation of didanosine 167 or 250 mg every 12 hours for 12 days11. The clinical significance of this increase has not been determined. Consider monitoring the patient for didanosine toxicity when didanosine and rifabutin are coadministered.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Unknown
Common questions
Can I take Rifabutin and Didanosine together?
Increased didanosine plasma concentrations Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Rifabutin and Didanosine 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 "established". Well documented — supported by controlled studies or strong clinical data.
Questions for your pharmacist
- Does my dose of Rifabutin or Didanosine 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)
- Product Information: VIDEX(R) pediatric powder for oral solution, didanosine pediatric powder for oral solution. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ, 2009.
Keep reading about Rifabutin
Keep reading about Didanosine
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.
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