Drug interactions
Aminolevulinic acid + Tetracycline
Severity: Moderate
Aminolevulinic acid and Tetracycline: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Oral aminolevulinic acid causes protoporphyrin accumulation and photosensitivity, and tetracyclines are also phototoxic. Using them together may increase the risk of severe phototoxic skin reactions.
What this interaction means in plain words
Aminolevulinic acid and Tetracycline can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Aminolevulinic acid belongs to Miscellaneous; Tetracycline belongs to Anti Bacterial.
Why it happens
Additive phototoxicity from photosensitizing agents.
What to do
Avoid giving tetracycline during the 24 hours around aminolevulinic acid administration and counsel the patient on strict sun and bright light protection.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Aminolevulinic acid and Tetracycline, the additional notes, the evidence detail and the whole-prescription interaction checker.
- Full clinical management advice
- Additional notes
- Evidence detail
- Interaction checker for a whole prescription
Try Pro+ free for 14 days on the web. No card needed.
Other interactions of Tetracycline
- Acitretin + Tetracycline Contraindicated
- Methoxyflurane + Tetracycline Contraindicated
- Isotretinoin + Tetracycline Major
- Palovarotene + Tetracycline Major
- Strontium ranelate + Tetracycline Major
- Tetracycline + Tretinoin Major
Other interactions of Aminolevulinic acid
- Acitretin + Aminolevulinic acid Major
- Aminolevulinic acid + Doxycycline Major
- Aminolevulinic acid + Isotretinoin Major
- Aminolevulinic acid + Amiodarone Moderate
- Aminolevulinic acid + Amlodipine-hydrochlorothiazide-valsartan Moderate
- Aminolevulinic acid + Amlodipine-olmesartan-hydrochlorothiazide Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Aminolevulinic acid with Tetracycline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Aminolevulinic acid and Tetracycline can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Oral aminolevulinic acid causes protoporphyrin accumulation and photosensitivity, and tetracyclines are also phototoxic. Using them together may increase the risk of severe phototoxic skin reactions.
How serious is the interaction between Aminolevulinic acid and Tetracycline?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid giving tetracycline during the 24 hours around aminolevulinic acid administration and counsel the patient on strict sun and bright light protection.
What other medicines interact with Tetracycline?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Tetracycline with, for example, Acitretin, Methoxyflurane, Isotretinoin. The full list is on the Tetracycline page.
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.
