Can You Take Zarbee's With Amoxicillin?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses whether or not amoxicillin is safe to take with Zarbee's products.
Hello! My daughter has a sinus infection and was given amoxicillin by her doctor. She is on day 2 and still has symptoms like a cough. Can she take Zarbee's Immune/Cough for children?
May 06, 2022- There are no known significant drug interactions between Zarbee's Complete Cough Syrup + Immune and amoxicillin based on the ingredients contained in the product. You can safely take Zarbee's with amoxicillin together.
Thanks for reaching out to us!
We've written a few different articles regarding Zarbee's products, and the takeaway is that there are no known significant drug interactions between the many Zarbee's products and prescription drugs. Here are a few of the articles we've written:
- Can You Take Children's Robitussin With Zarbee's?
- Taking Tylenol With Zarbee's Cough Medicine?
- Can You Take Zarbee's With Mucinex?
Nevertheless, let's take a closer look at the ingredients in the Zarbee's product you reference (Zarbee's Complete Cough Syrup + Immune).
Zarbee's Complete Cough Syrup + Immune Ingredients
Zarbee's Complete Cough Syrup + Immune contains the following ingredients:
- Water
- Natural flavor
- Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)
- Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
- Zinc gluconate
- Dark honey
- Grapefruit seed extract
- Black elderberry extract
The question now is whether or not any of these ingredients interfere with amoxicillin.
Is There A Drug Interaction?
The first ingredient in Zarbee's Cough + Immune that jumps out is grapefruit seed extract.
Grapefruit is notorious for serious drug interactions, most notably with 'Statin' drugs, such as Lipitor and Zocor.
Grapefruit seed, however, isn't thought to have the same risk as grapefruit juice simply due to seed extract containing less of the component of grapefruit that actually causes the drug interactions (furanocoumarins).
Nevertheless, grapefruit juice isn't known to interact with amoxicillin anyway, so no risk there.
The other ingredients that some studies report having at least a small risk of interactions are black elderberry (e.g. with immunosuppressants) and dark honey (the risk appears extremely low but it has been reported).
The good news here is that there are no reported or documented interactions between any of these ingredients and amoxicillin.
Based on how our body metabolizes amoxicillin, and how amoxicillin exerts its antimicrobial effect, there is no evidence to suggest there is any interaction to be concerned about between it and Zarbee's Cough + Immune.
They are thought to be safe to take together.
Final Words
Thanks again for reaching out to us! I hope your daughter begins to feel better!
References & sources
- Zarbee's Manufacturer Website — Zarbees
- Grapefruit Juice and Statins — PubMed
- Effect of honey on CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 enzyme activity in healthy human volunteers — PubMed
- The effect of Sambucol, a black elderberry-based, natural product, on the production of human cytokines: I. Inflammatory cytokines — PubMed
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Drug interactions
- When two medications affect each other's effectiveness or safety when taken together.
- Furanocoumarins
- Chemical compounds found in grapefruit that can interfere with how the body breaks down certain medications.
- Statin drugs
- A class of prescription medications used to lower cholesterol levels in the blood.
- Immunosuppressants
- Medications that reduce the body's immune system activity, often used after organ transplants or for certain diseases.
- Antimicrobial effect
- The ability of a substance to kill or stop the growth of harmful bacteria and other microorganisms.
- Metabolizes
- The process by which the body breaks down and processes a medication or substance.
- Ascorbic acid
- The chemical name for vitamin C, a nutrient that supports immune function.
- Cholecalciferol
- The chemical name for vitamin D3, a nutrient that helps the body absorb calcium and supports bone health.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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