Drug interactions
Doravirine + Phenobarbitone
Severity: Contraindicated
Doravirine and Phenobarbitone: contraindicated 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
Phenobarbital is expected to lower doravirine exposure considerably, risking virologic failure and resistance. Labeling contraindicates strong CYP3A inducers with doravirine.
What this interaction means in plain words
Doravirine and Phenobarbitone are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Doravirine belongs to Anti Virals; Phenobarbitone belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
Phenobarbital induces CYP3A4, accelerating doravirine metabolism.
What to do
Avoid the combination and use an alternative anticonvulsant or antiretroviral regimen. Allow for the long duration of enzyme induction after stopping phenobarbital before starting doravirine.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
Pro+ members
Unlock the full page
Create an account and start a Pro+ trial to unlock the full management advice for Doravirine and Phenobarbitone, 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 Doravirine
- Amobarbital + Doravirine Contraindicated
- Apalutamide + Doravirine Contraindicated
- Carbamazepine + Doravirine Contraindicated
- Doravirine + Efavirenz Contraindicated
- Doravirine + Enzalutamide Contraindicated
- Doravirine + Mitotane Contraindicated
Other interactions of Phenobarbitone
- Cabotegravir + Phenobarbitone Contraindicated
- Isavuconazole + Phenobarbitone Contraindicated
- Darolutamide + Phenobarbitone Major
- Finerenone + Phenobarbitone Major
- Ivacaftor + Phenobarbitone Major
- Letermovir + Phenobarbitone Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Doravirine with Phenobarbitone?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Doravirine and Phenobarbitone are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Phenobarbital is expected to lower doravirine exposure considerably, risking virologic failure and resistance. Labeling contraindicates strong CYP3A inducers with doravirine.
How serious is the interaction between Doravirine and Phenobarbitone?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid the combination and use an alternative anticonvulsant or antiretroviral regimen. Allow for the long duration of enzyme induction after stopping phenobarbital before starting doravirine.
What other medicines interact with Doravirine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Doravirine with, for example, Amobarbital, Apalutamide, Carbamazepine. The full list is on the Doravirine 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.
