Possible Interaction: Rifampin and Tannins

“Plant-derived compounds such as gallic acid and tannic acid are effective potentiators of various antibiotics including novobiocin, chlorobiocin, coumermycin, fusidic acid, and rifampicin , resulting in a 4-fold increase in the potencies of these antibiotics.”

“After adding the said tannins , the concentration of rifampicin was decreased significantly in both environments, and the concentration of rifampicin in artificial intestinal juice remained relatively stable, while that in artificial gastric juice remained the original downward trend.”

“The experiment indicated rifampicin had a poor solubility in acidic environment and the decrease of bioavailability of rifampicin when in combination with tannin was mainly due to the reduction of rifampicin solubility in intestinal tract by complexation of rifampicin with tannin, thus affecting its absorption in intestinal tract.”

“Therefore, rifampicin and the Chinese herbal medicines or Chinese patent medicines rich in tannin should not be taken simultaneously.”