Skip to content
ppharmaranks
Menu

noritate

Noritate (Metronidazole) is a nitroimidazole antimicrobial used to treat Abscess, Amebiasis, Bacteroides Infections, Bacterial Endocarditis.

Metronidazole · by Bausch

Available as a generic: Metronidazole

Not yet rated· sourced from the FDA label
Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated June 30, 2026·How we rate
Verified againstopenFDANIH DailyMedRxClass

Key facts

Active ingredient
Metronidazole
Form
Topical
Strength
Metronidazole 1%
Type
Prescription (Rx)
Brand or generic
Brand-name
Manufacturer
Bausch
Half-life
about 8 hours (how long it stays in your system)
What the pharmacy pays
~$0.10 per gm — not your price
FDA application
NDA020743

What is Noritate?

From the FDA label:Noritate ® (metronidazole cream) Cream, 1%, contains metronidazole USP. Chemically, metronidazole is 2-methyl-5-nitro-1 H -imidazole-1-ethanol. The molecular formula for metronidazole is C 6 H 9 N 3 O 3 . It has the following structural formula: Metronidazole has a molecular weight of 171.16. It is a white to pale yellow crystalline powder. It is slightly soluble in alcohol and has a solubility in water of 10 mg/mL at 20°C. Metronidazole is a member of the imidazole class of antibacterial agents and is classified as an antiprotozoal and antibacterial agent. Noritate is an emollient cream; each gram contains 10 mg micronized metronidazole USP, in a base of glycerin USP, glyceryl monostearate NF, methylparaben NF, propylparaben NF, purified water USP, stearic acid NF and trolamine NF. Noritate Chemical Structure

How to use

Areas to be treated should be cleansed before application of Noritate . Apply and rub in a thin film of Noritate once daily to entire affected area(s). Patients may use cosmetics after application of Noritate .

Side effects

Safety data from 302 patients who used Noritate (n=200) or vehicle control (n=102) once daily in clinical trials and experienced an adverse event considered to be treatment related include: application site reaction ( Noritate 1, vehicle 1), condition aggravated ( Noritate 1, vehicle 0), paresthesia ( Noritate 0, vehicle 1), acne ( Noritate 1, vehicle 0), dry skin ( Noritate 0, vehicle 2). The majority of adverse reactions were mild to moderate in severity. Two patients treated with Noritate once daily discontinued treatment because of adverse events: one for a severe flare of comedonal acne and one for rosacea aggravated. Additional clinical adverse effects reported spontaneously since the drug was marketed are uncommon and include tingling or numbness of extremities, allergic reactions, skin and eye irritation, rash, headache, nausea and dry mouth. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Bausch Health US, LLC at 1-800-321-4576 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Who should not take Noritate

Noritate is contraindicated in those patients with a history of hypersensitivity to metronidazole or to any other ingredient in this formulation.

Interactions

Oral metronidazole has been reported to potentiate the anticoagulant effect of coumarin and warfarin resulting in a prolongation of prothrombin time. Drug interactions should be kept in mind when Noritate is prescribed for patients who are receiving anticoagulant treatment, although they are less likely to occur with topical metronidazole administration because of low absorption. (See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY , Pharmacokinetics .)

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.

Drug class

How this class works, per Metronidazole - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf.

May treat (source: NIH RxClass)

See how Noritate ranks — best-rated nitroimidazole antimicrobial for:

Dosage forms

Topical

The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.

Ways to save

Ask for the generic

Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →

Request a 90-day supply

Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.

Use copay cards

Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.

Compare alternatives

A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →

Frequently asked questions

What does Noritate treat?
Noritate (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 Noritate work?
Noritate 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 much does Noritate 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 Noritate?
pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Noritate. 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 Noritate?
Noritate is marketed by Bausch. You can see Bausch's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
Is Noritate a brand-name or generic drug?
Noritate is a brand-name product with the active ingredient Metronidazole. Lower-cost generic equivalents containing Metronidazole are available — ask your pharmacist.
Is Noritate available over the counter?
No. Noritate 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 Noritate come in?
Noritate is currently marketed as topical, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
What class of drug is Noritate?
Noritate is classified as nitroimidazole antimicrobial, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
Is Noritate FDA-registered?
Noritate is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number NDA020743. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
Is Noritate safe?
There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Noritate. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
What are the side effects of Noritate?
Noritate's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: Safety data from 302 patients who used Noritate (n=200) or vehicle control (n=102) once daily in clinical trials and experienced an adverse event considered to be treatment related include: application site reaction ( Noritate 1, vehicle 1), condition aggravated ( Noritate 1, vehicle 0),… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.

Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to write one.

Write a review

Reviews are user opinions, not medical advice. Consult a licensed professional.

People also viewed

Compare Noritate head-to-head

More nitroimidazole antimicrobial drugs

Guides for this medication

Identify a pill by its imprint →Check a drug interaction →Drug recalls →

Browse medications A–Z

Research products from A to Z, compare independent ratings, and find alternatives.