Cephalexin Drug Interactions

An awareness of cephalexin drug interactions can help ensure a safe treatment process. Medicines that can interact with the drug include probenecid, attenuated typhoid vaccine, and aminoglycosides (such as amikacin, gentamicin, and kanamycin). These interactions can affect how the drugs are metabolized and can lead to kidney damage, among other things. If cephalexin drug interactions are a concern, your healthcare provider may adjust your dose.

An Introduction to Cephalexin Drug Interactions

Cephalexin (Keflex®, Biocef®) can interact with a number of medicines. These cephalexin drug interactions can include, but are not limited to:
 

Cephalexin Interactions Explained

The following sections explain in detail the potentially negative interactions that can occur when cephalexin is taken with any of the drugs listed above.
 
Probenecid
If you are taking both cephalexin and probenecid, your body may metabolize the drugs differently than intended and significantly increase the amount of cephalexin in your system. As a result, your healthcare provider may choose to monitor your progress and adjust your dosage accordingly.
 
Aminoglycosides
If cephalexin and an aminoglycoside antibiotic are taken together, the combination may result in increased kidney damage. Your healthcare provider may choose to monitor your progress and adjust your dosage accordingly to prevent this interaction.
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;
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