Drug & supplement interaction

Uzara + Retapamulin

Retapamulin brand names: Altabax, Altargo.

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

Retapamulin falls into 2 drug categories that Uzara can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, concomitant use may increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Uzara and Retapamulin

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Uzara interacts with whole categories of medication. Retapamulin falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Uzara in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

MACROLIDE ANTIBIOTICS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Retapamulin

Retapamulin falls under MACROLIDE ANTIBIOTICS — the group Uzara interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use may increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity.
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 the good news on this one: Retapamulin (Altabax) is an antibiotic ointment you spread on the skin to treat impetigo. Very little of it gets absorbed into your bloodstream, so the concern listed in our database is really about antibiotics taken by mouth that affect the heart's rhythm. With a topical cream, that overlap is mostly theoretical.

The bigger thing to watch is Uzara itself. It contains natural cardiac glycosides, the same family of compounds found in heart drugs like digoxin, and using too much or for too long could stress your heart's rhythm. So while smearing Retapamulin on a skin sore is unlikely to clash with Uzara, please loop in your pharmacist or doctor before using Uzara, especially if you have any heart history.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.
Moderate

TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS

2 of 2

Retapamulin also falls under TETRACYCLINE ANTIBIOTICS.

Theoretically, concomitant use may increase risk of cardiac glycoside toxicity.
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 some good news to ease your mind. Retapamulin (Altabax) is an ointment you spread right on a patch of impetigo. It stays mostly on the skin and barely gets into your bloodstream, so it doesn't really interact with Uzara taken by mouth. The concern on file is grouped under tetracycline-type antibiotics and is only theoretical, meaning it's based on how these drugs might behave in the body, not on real reports of harm.

The cardiac glycosides in Uzara are the part worth watching, since in large or prolonged doses they can affect heart rhythm. But a skin antibiotic isn't going to change that. If you have a heart condition or take heart meds, that's the real conversation to have with your pharmacist or doctor.

Contact Dr. Brian directly if you have additional questions on this interaction
References
  1. Ellenhorn MJ, et al. Ellenhorn's Medical Toxicology: Diagnoses and Treatment of Human Poisoning. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins, 1997.

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

Uzara Also Interacts With Other Medications

Uzara has 1 major, 131 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Retapamulin one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Major 1 Moderate 131 No known interaction 2,698 (incl. Retapamulin)
Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Uzara

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

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Retapamulin

This page covers Uzara 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

How much people look this up

Where Uzara 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 Uzara
Steady interest

#1,079 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Retapamulin
Steady interest

#1,977 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 Uzara

What is Uzara?

  • Diarrhea
  • Stomach cramps
  • Menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)
  • Headaches
  • Digestive upset

Uzara is a traditional African root remedy used mainly for diarrhea and stomach cramps. Because it contains cardiac glycosides that can affect the heart, it should be used cautiously and for short periods only. Talk to a pharmacist or doctor before using it, especially if you have heart problems, are pregnant, or take heart medications.

Read the full Uzara 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 & Uzara

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

1Major
131Moderate
0Minor
2,697No known interaction
1 Major 131 Moderate 2,697 No interaction
Major

1 interaction

Moderate

131 interactions

Showing 60 of 131 moderate interactions — see all 131 on the Uzara page.

No interaction 2,697 drugs checked — show the list

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

Showing the 60 most looked-up of 2,697 medications checked with no known interaction — see the full Uzara list.

See the full Uzara 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
Uzara 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 Uzara and Retapamulin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Uzara 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.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Uzara and Retapamulin?
Retapamulin belongs to more than one drug category, and Uzara interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Uzara 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.