Metronidazole (vaginal) is an intravaginal antibiotic used to treat vaginal infections caused primarily by bacteria. Metronidazole is also available as oral and topical medications.
Summary of Interactions with Vitamins, Herbs, and Foods
In some cases, an herb or supplement may appear in more than one category, which may seem contradictory. For clarification, read the full article for details about the summarized interactions.
 May be Beneficial: Supportive interaction—Taking these supplements may support or otherwise help your medication work better. | Zinc |
| Depletion or interference | None known |
| Side effect reduction/prevention | None known |
| Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability | None known |
| Adverse interaction | None known |
An asterisk (*) next to an item in the summary indicates that the interaction is supported only by weak, fragmentary, and/or contradictory scientific evidence.
Interactions with Dietary Supplements
Zinc
Four women whose vaginal infections caused by trichomonas (one-celled parasites) were not responding to oral and vaginal metronidazole treatment alone, improved when a zinc sulfate douche was added.1 Controlled research is needed to determine if zinc enhances the effects of metronidazole in vaginal infections caused by other organisms.
References
1. Houang ET, Ahmet Z, Lawrence AG. Successful treatment of four patients with recalcitrant vaginal trichomoniasis with a combination of zinc sulfate douche and metronidazole therapy. Sex Transm Dis 1997;24:116–9.
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2006-09-07
