Sucralfate and Moxifloxacin Injection: Interaction Details
AI-assisted, pharmacist-reviewed · Source data updated Aug 8, 2026 · Sources: FDA labeling, DDInter 2.0, cited literature
Moxifloxacin Injection
Sucralfate
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 moxifloxacin effectiveness
Interaction Deep Dive
Moxifloxacin is capable of forming chelate complexes with sucralfate, potentially reducing the gastrointestinal absorption of moxifloxacin. Decreased absorption may result in lower systemic levels than desired, therefore compromising the efficacy of the quinolone. Moxifloxacin should be administered at least four hours before or eight hours after sucralfate administration2.
Why it happens (mechanism)
Decreased moxifloxacin absorption due to chelation
Literature reports
1 report — tap to read
a) Concomitant administration of moxifloxacin and sucralfate and/or oral aluminum-containing antacids significantly reduces the bioavailability of moxifloxacin. A single-center, randomized, non-blinded, 2-way crossover study involving 12 male subjects investigated the effect of concomitant aluminum (sucralfate) and moxifloxacin administration. Moxifloxacin 400 mg orally administered either alone or with aluminum 190 mg (Sucralfat-Ratio Pharm(R) 1000) administered immediately before and 5, 10, 15 and 24 hours after the dose of moxifloxacin. A 2-week washout phase separated the treatment periods. The bioavailability of moxifloxacin was reduced with concomitant administration of aluminum, slowed down the absorption rate, and reduced plasma concentration. The authors conclude that concomitant administration of polyvalent metallic cations, such as aluminum, should be avoided. If administration of these medications cannot be avoided, staggered administration of these medications is recommended to avoid a loss of therapeutic efficacy due to sub-therapeutic plasma concentrations of moxifloxacin 1.
Common questions
Can I take Sucralfate and Moxifloxacin Injection together?
Decreased moxifloxacin effectiveness Always confirm with your pharmacist or prescriber before making any change.
How serious is the Sucralfate and Moxifloxacin Injection interaction?
It is rated moderate. Can be significant — usually manageable with monitoring.
How quickly could this interaction happen?
The documented onset is "rapid". Effects can appear quickly, often within about 24 hours of combining the drugs.
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 Sucralfate or Moxifloxacin Injection 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 (2)
- Stass H, Schuhly U, Moller J, et al: Effects of sucralfate on the oral bioavailability of moxifloxacin, a novel 8-methoxyfluoroquinolone, in healthy volunteers. Clin Pharmacokinet 2001; 40(1):49-55. PubMed
- Product Information: Avelox(TM), moxifloxacin hydrochloride. Bayer Corporation, West Haven, CT, 2000. DailyMed
Keep reading about Moxifloxacin Injection
Keep reading about Sucralfate
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.
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