Drug & supplement interaction

Chondroitin Sulfate + Azithromycin

Azithromycin brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite.

No Known Interaction
The bottom line No known interaction

We found no known interaction between Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin in our sources. Absence of a documented interaction is not the same as proven safety, and does not guarantee one does not exist. Do not start, stop, or change a medication or supplement based on this page; confirm with your pharmacist or doctor first. Additionally, although there is no interaction, the two are separately associated with some of the same side effects, which would make a new symptom harder to attribute to one or the other.

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Interaction report

Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin

We checked these two against our interaction database. Here is what we found.

No Known Interaction Found

We did not find a documented interaction between Azithromycin and Chondroitin Sulfate in our sources. This does not guarantee that the combination is completely free of risk — there is often limited research on supplements and herbal products, especially around drug interactions.

If you decide to take both, the practical routine is simple: add one new thing at a time and note the date you started it. If the combination is going to disagree with you, it usually shows in the first days to a couple of weeks — and a start date turns “I’ve been feeling off” into something a pharmacist can actually work with. Do not stop a prescribed medicine on your own.

Always talk with your pharmacist or doctor before making changes to your medications or supplements, particularly if you take several medications or have an ongoing health condition.

Chondroitin Sulfate safety at a glance

Chondroitin Sulfat... overall Use caution Generally well tolerated for short-term use, but quality varies and benefit is uncertain.
Pregnancy Avoid Not enough safety information; avoid during pregnancy.
Breastfeeding Avoid Not enough safety information; avoid while breastfeeding.

Safety guidance is general; always confirm with your pharmacist or doctor for your situation.

Still wondering about combining Azithromycin and Chondroitin Sulfate? Ask Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS directly ›
How we checked

Why No Interaction Is Listed for Azithromycin

Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes, not just single drug names. Azithromycin is filed under 7 classifications — including macrolide antibiotics, qt interval-prolonging drugs, antibiotic drugs. Chondroitin Sulfate has documented interactions with 1 drug class — the most serious being warfarin (coumadin) (moderate) — and none of Azithromycin’s classifications are among them.

Classification data comes from our licensed Natural Medicines dataset. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded there, so this describes how the check was run — it is not a safety guarantee.

Keep it in perspective

Chondroitin Sulfate Does Interact With Other Medications

Chondroitin Sulfate has 2 moderate known drug interactions in our database — Azithromycin isn’t one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Chondroitin Sulfate

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

What to actually watch for

No Interaction Found — But Data Suggests Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin May Share Several of the Same Side Effects

This is not an interaction. Neither one changes how your body handles the other, and nothing here says they react together. What our sources do show is that each has separately been linked to the effects below — so taking both can make those effects more likely to turn up, and harder to pin on one or the other if they do. 4 of them are worth acting on rather than waiting out — marked below.

  • Yellowing of the skin or eyes Worth acting on Additional detail

    Chondroitin Sulfate

    “Although relatively uncommon, combinations of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have been associated with acute liver injury that mimics autoimmune hepatitis. Two cases of elevated aminotransferase levels have been reported for patients taking glucosamine (form unspecified) and chondroitin sulfate at recommended doses.”

    Chondroitin Sulfate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in fatigue.

    3 sources cited
    1. 89515. Cerda C, Bruguera M, Parés A. Hepatotoxicity associated with glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in patients with chronic liver disease. World J Gastroenterol 2013;19(32):5381-4. PubMed
    2. 89518. von Felden J, Montani M, Kessebohm K, Stickel F. Drug-induced acute liver injury mimicking autoimmune hepatitis after intake of dietary supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2013;51(3):219-23. PubMed
    3. 89522. Ossendza RA, Grandval P, Chinoune F, Rocher F, Chapel F, Bernardini D. [Acute cholestatic hepatitis due to glucosamine forte]. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2007 Apr;31(4):449-50.

    Azithromycin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Hives Worth acting on Additional detail

    Chondroitin Sulfate

    “Orally, chondroitin sulfate has been associated with skin symptoms, such as eyelid edema, lower limb edema, alopecia, and skin rash. Combinations of chondroitin sulfate along with glucosamine hydrochloride may also be associated with rash, water retention around eyes and scars, and hives on face, chest, torso, and legs when taken orally.”

    Chondroitin Sulfate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in alopecia.

    5 sources cited
    1. 42513. Wildi, L. M., Raynauld, J. P., Martel-Pelletier, J., Beaulieu, A., Bessette, L., Morin, F., Abram, F., Dorais, M., and Pelletier, J. P. Chondroitin sulphate reduces both cartilage volume loss and bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis patients starti
    2. 42436. Crowley, D. C., Lau, F. C., Sharma, P., Evans, M., Guthrie, N., Bagchi, M., Bagchi, D., Dey, D. K., and Raychaudhuri, S. P. Safety and efficacy of undenatured type II collagen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a clinical trial. Int.J.Med.Sc PubMed
    3. 110628. Chu EC, Huang KHK, Cheung G, Ng G, Lin A. Delayed Skin Allergy to Glucosamine Chondroitin Supplement. Cureus 2023;15(3):e36310. PubMed
    4. 10408. Danao-Camara T. Potential side effects of treatment with glucosamine and chondroitin. Arthritis Rheum 2000;43:2853. PubMed
    5. 42385. Nordling, J. and van, Ophoven A. Intravesical glycosaminoglycan replenishment with chondroitin sulphate in chronic forms of cystitis. A multi-national, multi-centre, prospective observational clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. 2008;58(7):328-335. PubMed

    Azithromycin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Liver problems Worth acting on Additional detail

    Chondroitin Sulfate

    “Orally and topically, chondroitin sulfate is generally well tolerated. Intramuscular and ophthalmic use also seems to be well tolerated.

    Most Common Adverse Effects:

    Orally: Abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, nausea.

    Serious Adverse Effects (Rare):

    Orally: There have been rare reports of hepatotoxicity.”

    Chondroitin Sulfate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    Azithromycin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • A higher chance of infection Worth acting on reported in 5.4% of FDA reports for Azithromycin Additional detail

    Chondroitin Sulfate

    “Intravesical chondroitin sulfate has been associated with cases of vulvar burning, vaginitis, urinary tract infection (UTI), dysuria, pelvic pain, and other bladder symptoms, such as increased frequency, urgency, or incontinence. However, these effects might be due to catheterization rather than chondroitin sulfate.”

    Chondroitin Sulfate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in pain.

    3 sources cited
    1. 42385. Nordling, J. and van, Ophoven A. Intravesical glycosaminoglycan replenishment with chondroitin sulphate in chronic forms of cystitis. A multi-national, multi-centre, prospective observational clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. 2008;58(7):328-335. PubMed
    2. 42387. Nickel, J. C., Egerdie, B., Downey, J., Singh, R., Skehan, A., Carr, L., and Irvine-Bird, K. A real-life multicentre clinical practice study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravesical chondroitin sulphate for the treatment of interstitial cystit
    3. 42473. Nickel, J. C., Egerdie, R. B., Steinhoff, G., Palmer, B., and Hanno, P. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group pilot evaluation of the efficacy and safety of intravesical sodium chondroitin sulfate versus vehicle control in patients with

    Azithromycin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin, and in voluntary FDA adverse-event reports. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Sun sensitivity / Swelling Additional detail

    Chondroitin Sulfate

    Recorded for Chondroitin Sulfate in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Hives above.

    Azithromycin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Bloating or gas / Constipation / Stomach pain Additional detail

    Chondroitin Sulfate

    “Orally, chondroitin might cause nausea, bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, dyspepsia, and epigastric burning.”

    Chondroitin Sulfate · Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, reported in constipation.

    6 sources cited
    1. 42396. Oliviero, U., Sorrentino, G. P., De Paola, P., Tranfaglia, E., D'Alessandro, A., Carifi, S., Porfido, F. A., Cerio, R., Grasso, A. M., Policicchio, D., and . Effects of the treatment with matrix on elderly people with chronic articular degeneration. Drug
    2. 42436. Crowley, D. C., Lau, F. C., Sharma, P., Evans, M., Guthrie, N., Bagchi, M., Bagchi, D., Dey, D. K., and Raychaudhuri, S. P. Safety and efficacy of undenatured type II collagen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a clinical trial. Int.J.Med.Sc PubMed
    3. 42541. Pavelka and et al. Double-blind, dose effect study of oral cs 4 & 6 1200mg, 800mg, 200mg against placebo in the treatment of femorotibial osteoarthritis. Wular Rheumatol Liter 1998;27(suppl 2):63.
    4. 89561. Greenlee H, Crew KD, Shao T, Kranwinkel G, Kalinsky K, Maurer M, Brafman L, Insel B, Tsai WY, Hershman DL. Phase II study of glucosamine with chondroitin on aromatase inhibitor-associated joint symptoms in women with breast cancer. Support Care Cancer 201 PubMed
    5. 110628. Chu EC, Huang KHK, Cheung G, Ng G, Lin A. Delayed Skin Allergy to Glucosamine Chondroitin Supplement. Cureus 2023;15(3):e36310. PubMed
    6. 111647. Lila AM, Alekseeva LI, Baranov AA, et al. Chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine combination in patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis: A long-term observational study in Russia. World J Orthop 2023;14(6):443-457. PubMed

    Azithromycin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

  • Stomach upset Additional detail

    Chondroitin Sulfate

    Recorded for Chondroitin Sulfate in the same Natural Medicines adverse-effect record shown under Bloating or gas / Constipation / Stomach pain above.

    Azithromycin

    Listed in the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of the FDA label for Azithromycin. Read the label on DailyMed ›

Showing the 10 most notable of 16 shared effects — ranked by how unusual each one is, not just whether both lists mention it.

Reported for Chondroitin Sulfate but not commonly for Azithromycin: heart failure, a heart attack, wheezing and heartburn.

Effects for Azithromycin come from the ADVERSE REACTIONS section of its FDA label; effects for Chondroitin Sulfate come from the Natural Medicines adverse-effect record, quoted above. Where a percentage is shown, it is the share of 59,712 voluntary FDA FAERS reports for Azithromycin that mention that effect — a reporting proportion, not an incidence rate and not evidence the drug caused it. Wording is matched across sources by our own clinical vocabulary, so treat this as a prompt to pay attention, not a diagnosis.

From our Q&A

Questions About Chondroitin Sulfate or Azithromycin

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Chondroitin Sulfate or Azithromycin, 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 Azithromycin

This page covers Chondroitin Sulfate only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Azithromycin page lists 92 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 71 moderate · 13 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Azithromycin page

“A five-day Z-Pak for a sinus or chest infection seems too brief to fuss over, but azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax) deserves genuine caution around supplements, and the eight major-rated entries on this list are the ones to understand first. Most of those involve the heart.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Azithromycin interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Chondroitin Sulfate as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 2,347 real supplement products containing Chondroitin Sulfate, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Chondroitin Sulfate. Even though Chondroitin Sulfate itself has no known interaction with Azithromycin, another ingredient on your label might. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin 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 Chondroitin Sulfate
Top 10%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Azithromycin
Top 5%

#60 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.

Where does our data come from?
  • Source: the Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) clinical database — the evidence-graded professional reference for herb & supplement interactions.
  • Citation library: 103,510 references behind our interaction content, 65,311 of them resolved to verified PubMed/DOI sources. See every Chondroitin Sulfate reference on this page ↓
  • Freshness: we automatically re-check this combination every week — this pair was last verified September 13, 2026. The Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin records this page draws on were last updated July 10, 2026.
  • What “no known interaction” means: no documented interaction in the sources above — not a guarantee of safety. Supplements are studied far less than prescription drugs, so we say exactly what the evidence supports, and nothing more.
Data structure & sourcing designed and verified by .
Supplement

About Chondroitin Sulfate

What is Chondroitin Sulfate?

  • Osteoarthritis joint pain
  • Joint stiffness
  • Cartilage support
  • Dry eye (eye drops)

Chondroitin sulfate is a naturally occurring building block of cartilage that is widely taken, often with glucosamine, for osteoarthritis joint pain. The evidence is mixed—some people report modest relief while large studies show little or no benefit—but it appears generally well tolerated. Talk with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, especially if you have allergies or other health conditions.

Cartilage from animal sources (cattle, pig, shark, or fish) · Capsules, tablets, powders (often combined with glucosamine)

An interaction check asks whether these two react with each other — it does not ask whether Chondroitin Sulfate is a good idea for someone in your situation. Here is what our Chondroitin Sulfate record says about it on its own.

Chondroitin Sulfate: dosing

There is no single official dose of chondroitin sulfate that is agreed upon for everyone. It is often taken once daily or split into smaller doses through the day, and it is frequently combined with glucosamine in joint-support products.The best approach is to follow the directions on the product label and not take more than recommended.

From our Chondroitin Sulfate monograph — the full record covers uses, side effects and every documented interaction.

Read the full Chondroitin Sulfate monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Azithromycin

What Is Azithromycin Used For?

Brand names: Zithromax, Zmax, Azasite

  • Azithromycin is used to treat certain bacterial infections, such as bronchitis; pneumonia; sexually transmitted diseases (STD); and infections of the ears, lungs, sinuses, skin, throat, and reproductive organs. Azithromycin also is used to treat or prevent disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection [a type of lung infection that often affects people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)]. Azithromycin is in a class of medications called macrolide antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria.

  • Antibiotics such as azithromycin will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Using antibiotics when they are not needed increases your risk of getting an infection later that resists antibiotic treatment.

Most-Reported Side Effects for Azithromycin

From FAERS, the FDA’s public side-effect reporting system (59,712 reports, all brands). Reports are voluntary and are not proof the drug caused the effect.

Dyspnea 4,651 reports
Nausea 3,461 reports
Pneumonia 3,225 reports
Cough 3,120 reports
Drug hypersensitivity 2,991 reports
See full Azithromycin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Chondroitin Sulfate

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

0Major
2Moderate
0Minor
2,827No known interaction
Moderate

2 interactions

No interaction 2,827 drugs checked — show the list
Evidence & sources

Chondroitin Sulfate References

The 22 references that drive our Chondroitin Sulfate monograph and interaction data, from the evidence-graded Natural Medicines (TRC Healthcare) database. Citations with a link open the study on PubMed or the publisher’s site.

  1. Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin A, Vitamin K, Arsenic, Boron, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Manganese, Molybdenum, Nickel, Silicon, Vanadium, and Zinc. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2002.
  2. Tallia AF, Cardone DA. Asthma exacerbation associated with glucosamine-chondroitin supplement. J Am Board Fam Pract 2002;15:481-4..
  3. Danao-Camara T. Potential side effects of treatment with glucosamine and chondroitin. Arthritis Rheum 2000;43:2853. PubMed
  4. Rozenfeld V, Crain JL, Callahan AK. Possible augmentation of warfarin effect by glucosamine-chondroitin. Am J Health Syst Pharm 2004;61:306-307. PubMed
  5. Clegg DO, Reda DJ, Harris CL, et al. Glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and the two in combination for painful knee osteoarthritis. N Engl J Med 2006;354:795-808. DOI
  6. Knudsen J, Sokol GH. Potential glucosamine-warfarin interaction resulting in increased international normalized ratio: Case report and review of the literature and MedWatch database. Pharmacotherapy 2008;28:540-8. PubMed
  7. Yue QY, Strandell J, Myrberg O. Concomitant use of glucosamine potentiates the effect of warfarin. Jan 2006. Drug Safety 29(10):911-1010. DOI
  8. Nordling, J. and van, Ophoven A. Intravesical glycosaminoglycan replenishment with chondroitin sulphate in chronic forms of cystitis. A multi-national, multi-centre, prospective observational clinical trial. Arzneimittelforschung. 2008;58(7):328-335. PubMed
  9. Nickel, J. C., Egerdie, B., Downey, J., Singh, R., Skehan, A., Carr, L., and Irvine-Bird, K. A real-life multicentre clinical practice study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravesical chondroitin sulphate for the treatment of interstitial cystit
  10. Oliviero, U., Sorrentino, G. P., De Paola, P., Tranfaglia, E., D'Alessandro, A., Carifi, S., Porfido, F. A., Cerio, R., Grasso, A. M., Policicchio, D., and . Effects of the treatment with matrix on elderly people with chronic articular degeneration. Drug
  11. Crowley, D. C., Lau, F. C., Sharma, P., Evans, M., Guthrie, N., Bagchi, M., Bagchi, D., Dey, D. K., and Raychaudhuri, S. P. Safety and efficacy of undenatured type II collagen in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee: a clinical trial. Int.J.Med.Sc PubMed
  12. Nickel, J. C., Egerdie, R. B., Steinhoff, G., Palmer, B., and Hanno, P. A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel group pilot evaluation of the efficacy and safety of intravesical sodium chondroitin sulfate versus vehicle control in patients with
  13. Sawitzke, A. D., Shi, H., Finco, M. F., Dunlop, D. D., Harris, C. L., Singer, N. G., Bradley, J. D., Silver, D., Jackson, C. G., Lane, N. E., Oddis, C. V., Wolfe, F., Lisse, J., Furst, D. E., Bingham, C. O., Reda, D. J., Moskowitz, R. W., Williams, H. J.
  14. Wildi, L. M., Raynauld, J. P., Martel-Pelletier, J., Beaulieu, A., Bessette, L., Morin, F., Abram, F., Dorais, M., and Pelletier, J. P. Chondroitin sulphate reduces both cartilage volume loss and bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis patients starti
  15. Pavelka and et al. Double-blind, dose effect study of oral cs 4 & 6 1200mg, 800mg, 200mg against placebo in the treatment of femorotibial osteoarthritis. Wular Rheumatol Liter 1998;27(suppl 2):63.

Medication overviews come from MedlinePlus (NIH); supplement label data from the NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database. Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists — see our data sources and editorial standards.

Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin Together: Common Questions

Is it safe to take Chondroitin Sulfate with Azithromycin?
We do not list a known interaction between Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin. That does not guarantee the combination is risk-free, so confirm with your pharmacist or doctor — especially if you take other medications or have a health condition.
Do Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin have any of the same side effects?
Yes — our sources link each of them separately to 10 of the same effects. That is not an interaction: neither changes how your body handles the other. It does mean that if one of those effects turns up, it can be harder to tell which one is behind it. They are listed on this page with the source behind each.
How was the Chondroitin Sulfate and Azithromycin combination checked?
Interactions in our licensed database are recorded against drug classes. Azithromycin is filed under 7 classifications, and Chondroitin Sulfate has documented interactions with 1 drug class — none of Azithromycin's classifications are among them. A medication can belong to classes beyond those recorded in our dataset, so this describes how the check was run rather than guaranteeing safety.
Does Chondroitin Sulfate interact with any other medications?
Yes. Chondroitin Sulfate has 2 documented drug interactions in our database — Azithromycin is simply not one of them. If you take anything else, it is worth checking each one; they are all listed on this page.
Does Azithromycin interact with any supplements?
Yes. Azithromycin has documented interactions with 92 supplements in our database — Chondroitin Sulfate is not one of them. The Azithromycin interaction page linked on this page lists every one, ranked by severity.

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

Still Have a Question About Azithromycin and Chondroitin Sulfate?

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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.