Tretinoin is a slightly altered version of vitamin A. Topical tretinoin is available in cream, gel, and liquid forms to treat acne, other skin conditions, and some forms of skin cancer. Tretinoin is also available in oral capsules used to induce remission in people with acute promyelocytic leukemia.
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.
 Avoid: Adverse interaction—Avoid these supplements when taking this medication because taking them together may cause undesirable or dangerous results. | Vitamin A* |
| Depletion or interference | None known |
| Side effect reduction/prevention | None known |
| Supportive interaction | None known |
| Reduced drug absorption/bioavailability | 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
Vitamin A
Large amounts of vitamin A can cause side effects, and oral tretinoin can cause similar side effects. Combining vitamin A with oral tretinoin is likely to increase the risk of side effects. People taking oral tretinoin should probably not take more than 10,000 IU of supplemental vitamin A per day.
Interactions with Foods and Other Compounds
Food
Food enhances absorption of retinoid drugs.1 Tretinoin capsules (Vesanoid®) should be taken with food.
References
1. Threlkeld DS, ed. Antineoplastics, Miscellaneous Antineoplastics, Tretinoin. In Facts and Comparisons Drug Information. St. Louis, MO: Facts and Comparisons, Jul 1996, 685w–5z.
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2006-09-07
