Drug & supplement interaction

Procaine + Tigecycline

Tigecycline brand name: Tygacil.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Procaine has a moderate interaction with Tigecycline. 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 Tigecycline

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

Moderate

SULFONAMIDE ANTIBIOTICS

Why this applies to Tigecycline

Tigecycline 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 an honest heads-up about how this one is filed. The concern on record comes from procaine breaking down into PABA (aminobenzoic acid), which can blunt the action of sulfonamide antibiotics like Bactrim. The catch is that tigecycline (Tygacil) isn't a sulfonamide. It's actually a tetracycline-class antibiotic, so the PABA mechanism that weakens sulfa drugs doesn't really apply to it in the same way.

Because of that, I wouldn't expect procaine to meaningfully reduce how well tigecycline fights your infection. Keep in mind this whole interaction is rated as theoretical (based on pharmacology, not real patient cases), so it's a flag, not a five-alarm fire. Tigecycline is given by IV in the hospital anyway. Still, mention any procaine-containing product to your pharmacist or doctor so they can double-check it for you.

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 Tigecycline 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 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 Tigecycline

This page covers Procaine only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Tigecycline page lists 98 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), Alfalfa (moderate) and Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 88 moderate · 8 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Tigecycline page

“Tigecycline (Tygacil) is an intravenous antibiotic usually reserved for serious or resistant infections, and its supplement list deserves real attention. The two major-rated entries come first: oleander, a heart-toxic plant whose compounds may build to dangerous levels with certain antibiotics on board, and PABA, which can blunt the an…”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Tigecycline 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 Tigecycline 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 Tigecycline 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

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

29 days ago today
Medication Tigecycline
Steady interest

#2,373 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 Tigecycline Injection

What Is Tigecycline Injection Used For?

Brand name: Tygacil

Tigecycline Injection (brand: Tygacil) treats certain serious bacterial infections in adults 18 and older. It is used for complicated skin and skin structure infections, complicated intra-abdominal (belly) infections, and community-acquired bacterial pneumonia.

It is not approved for diabetic foot infections or for hospital-acquired pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia. It works only against bacteria, not viruses.

See full Tigecycline Injection 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
Major

37 interactions

Moderate

18 interactions

No interaction 2,774 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 Procaine and Tigecycline Together: Common Questions

Can you take Procaine with Tigecycline?
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 Tigecycline 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 Tigecycline and Procaine?

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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.