flagyl

Foods & drinks to be careful with

Well-established interactions for this medicine’s drug class, summarized from public health authorities. General information, not medical advice — always confirm with your pharmacist or the label.

• Alcohol

  Watch out for: beer, wine, spirits, and other products containing alcohol.

  Combining alcohol with this antibiotic can cause a disulfiram-like reaction — flushing, nausea, vomiting, headache, and a fast heartbeat.

  What to do: Avoid alcohol while taking it and for a few days after your last dose, as your prescriber or the label directs. Alcohol can hide in some liquid medicines and mouthwashes.

  Source: Metronidazole — MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)

How long does Metronidazole stay in your body?

The elimination half-life of metronidazole is about 8 hours — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. This is the average for healthy adults with normal kidney and liver function; the half-life is much longer in newborns (roughly 22 to 109 hours, longer the more premature the baby). Metronidazole has an active metabolite (hydroxy-metronidazole) whose levels build up in older adults (40-80% higher) and in severe kidney disease, though the label does not give a separate half-life for it.

This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: FLAGYL (metronidazole) label, DailyMed.

Frequently asked questions

What does Flagyl treat?

Flagyl (Metronidazole) may be used to treat abscess, amebiasis, bacteroides infections, bacterial endocarditis, pseudomembranous enterocolitis, giardiasis, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.

How does Flagyl work?

Flagyl is a nitroimidazole antimicrobial. Nitroimidazole antibiotics (such as metronidazole) are activated inside oxygen-free bacteria and parasites, where they turn into reactive forms that break and destabilize the microbe's DNA. This kills the germ while largely sparing the body's own cells.

How is Flagyl rated?

pharmaranks gives Flagyl a composite score of 3.2 out of 5, currently based on 1 weighted source (FDA regulatory recall-safety data weighted highest). See our methodology at /how-we-rate.

How much does Flagyl cost?

Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $0.10 per gm, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.

Is there a coupon or discount for Flagyl?

pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Flagyl. To pay less, ask your prescriber or pharmacist whether a generic equivalent exists, check the manufacturer's copay/savings card and patient-assistance program, and compare a pharmacy discount card against your insurance copay. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.

Who makes Flagyl?

Flagyl is marketed by Pfizer. You can see Pfizer's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.

Is Flagyl a brand-name or generic drug?

Flagyl is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Metronidazole. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Metronidazole are available — ask your pharmacist.

Is Flagyl available over the counter?

No. Flagyl is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.

What forms does Flagyl come in?

Flagyl is currently marketed as capsule, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.

What class of drug is Flagyl?

Flagyl is classified as nitroimidazole antimicrobial, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.

Is Flagyl FDA-registered?

Flagyl is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA012623. You can verify this on its official FDA label.

Has Flagyl been recalled by the FDA?

Flagyl has no FDA recalls recorded under its own application in the openFDA enforcement database. Its recall-safety score reflects its manufacturer's overall recall record. This is general reference, not medical advice — check the FDA recall database for the latest alerts.

Is Flagyl safe?

There's no single safe-or-not verdict. pharmaranks gives Flagyl a recall-safety score of 64/100, based on its FDA recall history (no recalls under its own FDA application) — not an efficacy or side-effect rating. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings before use, and always consult a licensed professional.