Drug & supplement interaction

Sweet Orange + Doripenem

Doripenem brand name: Doribax.

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

Sweet Orange has a moderate interaction with Doripenem. Calcium-fortified sweet orange juice might reduce quinolone absorption.

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

Sweet Orange and Doripenem

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

Moderate

QUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS

Why this applies to Doripenem

Doripenem falls under QUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS — the group Sweet Orange interacts with.

Calcium-fortified sweet orange juice might reduce quinolone absorption.
Calcium binds to quinolones in the gut. Theoretically, the calcium in certain fortified orange juices can also bind to quinolone antibiotics and reduce their absorption and levels.
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 a little wrinkle worth mentioning. The interaction on file is really about calcium-fortified orange juice, and it applies to quinolone antibiotics (the pill-type ones like ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin), where calcium can bind the drug in your gut and keep it from being absorbed. Doripenem isn't a quinolone, though. It's a carbapenem antibiotic, and it's given by IV (injection straight into the vein), not swallowed. Because it skips the gut entirely, calcium in orange juice has nothing to grab onto.

So for doripenem specifically, this concern doesn't really translate over. Enjoy your orange juice. If you ever have questions about what's safe with an antibiotic you're receiving, your pharmacist or nurse is happy to confirm.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Murry JJ, Healy MD. Drug-mineral interactions: a new responsibility for the hospital dietician. J Am Diet Assoc 1991;91:66-73.
  2. Pletz MW, Petzold P, Allen A, et al. Effect of calcium carbonate on bioavailability of orally administered gemifloxacin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2003;47:2158-60.. PubMed
  3. Huang SM, Lesko LJ. Drug-drug, drug-dietary supplement, and drug-citrus fruit and other food interactions: what have we learned? J Clin Pharmacol 2004;44:559-69. PubMed
  4. Kays MB, Overholser BR, Mueller BA, et al. Effects of sevelamer hydrochloride and calcium acetate on the oral bioavailability of ciprofloxacin. Am J Kidney Dis. 2003;42(6):1253-9. PubMed
  5. Neuhofel, A. L., Wilton, J. H., Victory, J. M., Hejmanowsk, L. G., and Amsden, G. W. Lack of bioequivalence of ciprofloxacin when administered with calcium-fortified orange juice: a new twist on an old interaction. J Clin Pharmacol. 2002;42(4):461-466. DOI

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

Sweet Orange Also Interacts With Other Medications

Sweet Orange has 48 major, 197 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Doripenem one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 48 Moderate 197 No known interaction 2,585 (incl. Doripenem)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Sweet Orange

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Doripenem

This page covers Sweet Orange only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Doripenem page lists 84 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 · 75 moderate · 7 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Doripenem page

“Two entries here matter more than all the others, and I would read them first. Doripenem (Doribax) is an intravenous antibiotic reserved for serious bacterial infections, which means anything that weakens treatment or piles on risk deserves genuine caution.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Doripenem interaction page

One more smart check

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

We hold 678 real supplement products containing Sweet Orange, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Sweet Orange. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Doripenem too, on top of Sweet Orange — 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 Sweet Orange and Doripenem 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 Sweet Orange
Top 25%

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

29 days ago today
Medication Doripenem
Steady interest

#2,451 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 Sweet Orange

What is Sweet Orange?

Sweet Orange
  • Vitamin C source
  • Digestive upset
  • Stress and relaxation (aromatherapy)
  • Cold and respiratory support
  • Antioxidant support

Sweet orange is a common citrus fruit that is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants, and is enjoyed as a food worldwide. Its peel and essential oil are used in aromatherapy and traditional remedies, but strong scientific proof for most medicinal claims is limited. The fruit and juice are safe for most people as food, while concentrated oils and extracts deserve more caution.

Read the full Sweet Orange monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Doripenem Injection

What Is Doripenem Injection Used For?

Brand name: Doribax

  • Doripenem injection is used to treat serious infections of the urinary tract, kidney, and abdomen that are caused by bacteria. Doripenem injection is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat pneumonia that developed in people who were on a ventilator in a hospital. Doripenem injection is in a class of medications called carbapenem antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria.

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

See full Doripenem Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Sweet Orange

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

48Major
197Moderate
0Minor
2,584No known interaction
48 Major 197 Moderate 2,584 No interaction
Major

48 interactions

Moderate

197 interactions

Showing 60 of 197 moderate interactions — see all 197 on the Sweet Orange page.

No interaction 2,584 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,584 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Sweet Orange list.

See the full Sweet Orange interactions page
See every supplement checked against Doripenem, 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
Sweet Orange monograph › Uses, safety, and every drug interaction in one place Doripenem supplement interactions › Every supplement checked against Doripenem, ranked by severity Doripenem Injection 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 Sweet Orange and Doripenem Together: Common Questions

Can you take Sweet Orange with Doripenem?
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 Sweet Orange and Doripenem 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 Doripenem and Sweet Orange?

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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.