Drug & supplement interaction

Procaine + Retapamulin

Retapamulin brand names: Altabax, Altargo.

Moderate Interaction
Medically reviewed by · Updated September 2026
The bottom line Moderate

Procaine has a moderate interaction with Retapamulin. A metabolite of procaine, aminobenzoic acid, can antagonize the effect of sulfonamides.

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

Procaine and Retapamulin

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

Moderate

SULFONAMIDE ANTIBIOTICS

Why this applies to Retapamulin

Retapamulin falls under SULFONAMIDE ANTIBIOTICS — the group Procaine interacts with.

A metabolite of procaine, aminobenzoic acid, can antagonize the effect of sulfonamides. Theoretically, procaine might also reduce sulfonamide activity. Some sulfonamides include sulfamethoxazole (Gantanol), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin), and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra).
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 something worth clearing up. The interaction on file pairs procaine with sulfonamide antibiotics, because procaine breaks down into PABA, which can blunt how those particular drugs fight bacteria. But retapamulin (Altabax) is not a sulfonamide. It's a pleuromutilin antibiotic that you smear onto the skin to treat impetigo, and it works through a completely different mechanism than sulfa drugs do.

Because of that, the PABA concern simply doesn't apply here, and this interaction is theoretical to begin with (it was never proven in people). On top of that, retapamulin acts right on the skin, so very little gets into your body. I wouldn't expect procaine to weaken it. Still, it's always smart to run your full list past your pharmacist.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. McEvoy GK, ed. AHFS Drug Information. Bethesda, MD: American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, 1998.

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

Procaine Also Interacts With Other Medications

Procaine has 37 major, 18 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Retapamulin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 37 Moderate 18 No known interaction 2,775 (incl. Retapamulin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Procaine

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Retapamulin

This page covers Procaine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Retapamulin page lists 81 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Oleander (major), Para-aminobenzoic Acid (paba) (major), Acerola (moderate), Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate) and Bacillus Coagulans (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 71 moderate · 8 minor.

Open the Retapamulin interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 2 real supplement products containing Procaine, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Procaine. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Retapamulin too, on top of Procaine — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Procaine and Retapamulin 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 Procaine
Top half

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

29 days ago today
Medication Retapamulin
Steady interest

#1,981 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 Procaine

What is Procaine?

  • Local anesthesia (medical/dental use)
  • Marketed 'anti-aging' supplements
  • General well-being and vitality claims
  • Mood and energy support (unproven)

Procaine is a synthetic local anesthetic (best known by the brand name Novocaine) used by doctors and dentists to numb tissue. It is not a true dietary supplement or herb, and the 'anti-aging' products built around it (such as GH3 or 'Gerovital') have weak evidence and real safety concerns. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before using any product containing procaine.

Read the full Procaine monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Retapamulin

What Is Retapamulin Used For?

Brand names: Altabax, Altargo

  • Retapamulin is used to treat impetigo (a skin infection caused by bacteria) in children and adults. Retapamulin is in a class of medications called antibacterials. It works by killing and stopping the growth of bacteria on the skin.

See full Retapamulin drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Procaine

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

37Major
18Moderate
0Minor
2,774No known interaction
37 Major 18 Moderate 2,774 No interaction
Major

37 interactions

Moderate

18 interactions

No interaction 2,774 drugs checked — show the list

We also checked Procaine against these medications and found no known interaction in our sources. Open any page to confirm.

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,774 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Procaine list.

See the full Procaine interactions page
See every supplement checked against Retapamulin, ranked by severity
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
Procaine monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Retapamulin supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Retapamulin, ranked by severity Retapamulin drug information › The full plain-English guide to this medication Supplement interaction checker › Check any supplement or product against your medications Browse medications A–Z › Every drug we've checked against herbs & supplements Ask a pharmacist › Free, personal answer from our licensed team
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Procaine and Retapamulin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Procaine with Retapamulin?
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 Procaine and Retapamulin 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

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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.