Drug & supplement interaction

Aristolochia + Cefprozil

Cefprozil brand name: Cefzil.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Aristolochia has a moderate interaction with Cefprozil. Aristolochia is nephrotoxic. There are numerous cases of nephropathy and renal failure associated with aristolochia use.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Aristolochia and Cefprozil

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Moderate

NEPHROTOXIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Cefprozil

Cefprozil falls under NEPHROTOXIC DRUGS — the group Aristolochia interacts with.

Aristolochia is nephrotoxic. There are numerous cases of nephropathy and renal failure associated with aristolochia use. Theoretically, combining aristolochia with potentially nephrotoxic drugs might have additive adverse effects on kidney function. However, this interaction has not yet been reported in humans. Close monitoring of renal function in patients taking aristolochia with nephrotoxic drugs may be warranted.
Some potentially nephrotoxic drugs include cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); aminoglycosides including amikacin (Amikin), gentamicin (Garamycin, Gentak, others), and tobramycin (Nebcin, others); nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin, others), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene); and numerous others.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: Aristolochia is genuinely toxic to the kidneys, and that's the real worry here. It contains aristolochic acid, which has been tied to serious kidney damage, kidney failure, and even cancer. Honestly, this is a supplement I'd steer clear of completely, no matter what else you're taking.

Cefprozil (Cefzil) is a cephalosporin antibiotic that your kidneys help clear from your body. The concern is mostly additive, meaning two things that can stress the kidneys at the same time. To be fair, this combined interaction hasn't actually been reported in people, so it's based on how the two work rather than real cases. Still, since Aristolochia carries serious risk on its own, please talk with your pharmacist or doctor before using it with any medication.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Aristolochia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Aristolochia has 354 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cefprozil one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Aristolochia

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Aristolochia. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Aristolochia or Cefprozil

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Aristolochia or Cefprozil, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cefprozil

This page covers Aristolochia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cefprozil page lists 60 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), Asarabacca (major), Siberian Cocklebur (major), African Wild Potato (moderate) and Bacillus Coagulans (moderate).

By severity: 3 major · 46 moderate · 11 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cefprozil page

“Cefprozil (Cefzil) is a cephalosporin antibiotic, usually a short course for ear, sinus, throat, or skin infections, and three of the 60 supplements on this list warrant real caution even for a week of pills. Activated charcoal can bind the drug and pull it out of your system before it works.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cefprozil interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Aristolochia and Cefprozil Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Aristolochia
Steady interest

#813 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Cefprozil
Top half

#1,338 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Aristolochia

What is Aristolochia?

Aristolochia
  • Promoting menstruation
  • Aphrodisiac
  • Immune stimulation
  • Snakebite remedies
  • Pain and inflammation

Aristolochia contains aristolochic acid, a potent toxin linked to severe kidney damage and cancer, and it is not safe to take. The FDA and other health authorities have warned against any product containing aristolochic acid. Despite its history in traditional medicine, no proven benefit outweighs these serious dangers.

Read the full Aristolochia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cefprozil

What Is Cefprozil Used For?

Brand name: Cefzil

Cefprozil tablets and oral suspension are both used to treat mild to moderate bacterial infections in adults and children. Approved uses include pharyngitis/tonsillitis (strep throat), acute sinusitis, otitis media (ear infections), acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, and uncomplicated skin and skin-structure infections.

Cefprozil tablets are also approved for secondary bacterial infection of acute bronchitis. Because antibiotic resistance is a real concern, cefprozil should only be used when the infection is proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria that respond to it.

See full Cefprozil drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Aristolochia

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Aristolochia — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
354Moderate
0Minor
2,475No known interaction
Moderate

354 interactions

Showing 60 of 354 moderate interactions — see all 354 on the Aristolochia page.

No interaction 2,475 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Aristolochia and Cefprozil Together: Common Questions

Can you take Aristolochia with Cefprozil?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Aristolochia and Cefprozil interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Cefprozil and Aristolochia?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.