Can cephalosporin antibiotics be taken with durian?

Aug 18, 2025 Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Under normal circumstances, cephalosporin antibiotics and durian are not recommended to be consumed together. During the course of taking cephalosporin antibiotics, durian should be avoided. After discontinuation of cephalosporin antibiotics, once the drug has been largely metabolized, consumption of durian can be resumed. To ensure medication safety and proper recovery, while taking cephalosporin antibiotics, in addition to avoiding durian, one should also avoid consuming foods, beverages, and medications containing alcohol.

Generally, cephalosporin antibiotics and durian are not recommended to be consumed together. It is advisable to avoid eating durian during the course of taking cephalosporin antibiotics. After discontinuation of the antibiotic, once the drug has been largely metabolized, consumption of durian can be resumed. Detailed explanation is as follows:

Consuming durian while taking cephalosporin antibiotics may trigger adverse reactions. Durian contains sulfur-containing compounds that can inhibit the enzyme activity in the liver responsible for breaking down cephalosporin antibiotics, leading to drug accumulation in the body. This may increase the risk of adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and palpitations. In severe cases, it may also affect the body's metabolism of the drug and interfere with treatment efficacy. Therefore, durian should be avoided throughout the entire duration of cephalosporin antibiotic therapy. When resuming durian consumption after stopping the medication, observe the body's reaction initially, and only resume normal consumption if no discomfort occurs, to prevent potential interactions between residual drug and durian.

To ensure medication safety and promote recovery, in addition to avoiding durian, consumption of alcohol-containing foods, beverages, and medications should also be avoided during the course of taking cephalosporin antibiotics. It is also important to maintain a light diet, consume more fresh vegetables and fruits, and ensure adequate rest.