Drug interactions
Magnesium oxide + Tetracycline
Severity: Moderate
Magnesium oxide 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
Magnesium oxide, an antacid and supplement, binds oral tetracycline in the gut, forming insoluble complexes. Absorption of the antibiotic falls and treatment may fail.
What this interaction means in plain words
Magnesium oxide 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.
Magnesium oxide belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract; Tetracycline belongs to Anti Bacterial.
Why it happens
Chelation of tetracycline by magnesium cations, plus raised gastric pH, reduces absorption.
What to do
Give tetracycline at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after magnesium oxide. Use an alternative if separation is not feasible.
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?
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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 Magnesium oxide
- Chloroquine + Magnesium oxide Moderate
- Ciprofloxacin + Magnesium oxide Moderate
- Dolutegravir + Magnesium oxide Moderate
- Doxycycline + Magnesium oxide Moderate
- Eltrombopag + Magnesium oxide Moderate
- Gemifloxacin + Magnesium oxide Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Magnesium oxide with Tetracycline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Magnesium oxide 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. Magnesium oxide, an antacid and supplement, binds oral tetracycline in the gut, forming insoluble complexes. Absorption of the antibiotic falls and treatment may fail.
How serious is the interaction between Magnesium oxide 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: Give tetracycline at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after magnesium oxide. Use an alternative if separation is not feasible.
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.
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