FOOD AND QUINOLONES
Dairy products reduce the bioavailability of ciprofloxacin (AUC reduced by about 30%) and norfloxacin (peak plasma levels reduced by about 50%), and to a minor extent, gatifloxacin (AUC reduced by 15%).
The effect of these changes on the control of infection is uncertain but it would seem prudent to advise patients not to take these dairy products within one to 2 hours of either ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin. The slight reduction in gatifloxacin levels is probably not clinically relevant. Enoxacin, lomefloxacin, ofloxacin and probably fleroxacin do not appear to interact significantly. They therefore may
provide a useful alternative to the interacting quinolones. Consider also enteral feeds.
The effect of these changes on the control of infection is uncertain but it would seem prudent to advise patients not to take these dairy products within one to 2 hours of either ciprofloxacin or norfloxacin. The slight reduction in gatifloxacin levels is probably not clinically relevant. Enoxacin, lomefloxacin, ofloxacin and probably fleroxacin do not appear to interact significantly. They therefore may
provide a useful alternative to the interacting quinolones. Consider also enteral feeds.