Drug & supplement interaction

Ligilactobacillus Salivarius + Cefepime

Cefepime brand name: Maxipime.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Ligilactobacillus Salivarius has a moderate interaction with Cefepime. Theoretically, taking Ligilactobacillus salivarius with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Ligilactobacillus Salivarius and Cefepime

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

Moderate

ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS

Why this applies to Cefepime

Cefepime falls under ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS — the group Ligilactobacillus Salivarius interacts with.

Theoretically, taking Ligilactobacillus salivarius with antibiotic drugs might decrease the effectiveness of L. salivarius.
Ligilactobacillus salivarius preparations usually contain live and active organisms. Therefore, simultaneously taking antibiotics might kill a significant number of the organisms. Tell patients to separate administration of antibiotics and L. salivarius preparations by at least two hours.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Probable Evidence D

Interaction 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..

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

Here's the thing to keep in mind when you're on cefepime (Maxipime) and also taking a probiotic like Ligilactobacillus salivarius. Cefepime is an antibiotic, and its whole job is to kill bacteria. The trouble is, it can't tell the difference between the bacteria causing your infection and the friendly live bacteria in your probiotic. So taking them close together may simply wipe out a good chunk of the probiotic, leaving you paying for something that isn't doing much.

The good news is this works the other way too: it does not make your cefepime weaker or less safe. Your infection treatment stays on track. This is mostly a theoretical concern based on how the two work, not strong human studies. If you want the probiotic benefit, a common tip is to space them out by a couple of hours. Always run timing questions by your pharmacist or doctor.

References
  1. Pierce A. The American Pharmaceutical Association Practical Guide to Natural Medicines. New York: The Stonesong Press, 1999:19.

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

Ligilactobacillus Salivarius Also Interacts With Other Medications

Ligilactobacillus Salivarius has 181 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Cefepime 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 Ligilactobacillus Salivarius

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Cefepime

This page covers Ligilactobacillus Salivarius only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Cefepime page lists 43 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

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

By severity: 2 major · 39 moderate · 2 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Cefepime page

“Cefepime (Maxipime) is a strong hospital antibiotic reserved for serious infections, and its interaction list warrants genuine caution, led by two major-rated herbs that can harm the kidneys: Siberian cocklebur and asarabacca, which is often contaminated with aristolochic acid, a kidney toxin the FDA considers unsafe. That matters more…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Cefepime interaction page

How much people look this up

Where Ligilactobacillus Salivarius and Cefepime 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 Ligilactobacillus Salivarius
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Cefepime
Steady interest

#1,808 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 Ligilactobacillus Salivarius

What is Ligilactobacillus Salivarius?

  • Digestive and gut health
  • Oral and dental health
  • Immune support
  • Vaginal and urinary health
  • General probiotic supplementation

Ligilactobacillus salivarius (formerly called Lactobacillus salivarius) is a probiotic bacterium found naturally in the mouth and gut of humans and animals. People take it to support digestion, oral health, and immunity, but solid human evidence is still limited for most uses. It is generally well tolerated in healthy people, but those with weakened immune systems should check with a doctor first.

Read the full Ligilactobacillus Salivarius monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Cefepime Injection

What Is Cefepime Injection Used For?

Brand name: Maxipime

Cefepime injection is used to treat a range of serious bacterial infections in adults and children. These include moderate-to-severe pneumonia, uncomplicated and complicated urinary tract infections (including pyelonephritis, a kidney infection), uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections, and empiric therapy (treatment started before a specific germ is confirmed) for fever in patients with very low white blood cell counts (febrile neutropenia).

In adults, cefepime injection is also used to treat complicated intra-abdominal infections — but only when given together with another antibiotic called metronidazole. The intramuscular (IM) route is indicated only for mild-to-moderate uncomplicated or complicated urinary tract infections caused by E. coli.

See full Cefepime Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Ligilactobacillus Salivarius

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

0Major
181Moderate
0Minor
2,648No known interaction
Moderate

181 interactions

Showing 60 of 181 moderate interactions — see all 181 on the Ligilactobacillus Salivarius page.

No interaction 2,648 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

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Ligilactobacillus Salivarius and Cefepime Together: Common Questions

Can you take Ligilactobacillus Salivarius with Cefepime?
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 Ligilactobacillus Salivarius and Cefepime 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 Cefepime and Ligilactobacillus Salivarius?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

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.