Photosensitizing Medication
WARNING! Using SOLIUS while taking one of these medications may increase your risk for sunburn. This list consists of the generic names of medications and specific brand names may differ. Consult your physician if you are unsure if you are taking one of these medications.
Items where photosensitive reactions are more likely to occur are shown in bold text
Acne
- Benzoyl peroxide
- Isotretinoin
- Tretinoin
- Antiarrhythmic
- Amiodarone
- Disopyramide
- Quinidine sulphate
- Quinidine gluconate
Anticancers
- Afatinib
- Capecitabine
- Cetuximab
- Dacarbazine
- Dasatinib tyrosine kinase inhibitor
- Erlotinib
- Farmorubicin
- Fluorouracil (5-FU)
- Flutamide
- Gefitinib
- Hydroxyurea
- Imatinib
- Lapatinib
- Levulan
- Mesna
- Methotrexate
- Metvix
- Paclitaxel
- Panitumumab
- Photofrin
- Vandetanib
- Visudyne and others Tegafur-Uracil (UFT)
- Vemurafenib
- Vinblastine
Anticonvulsants
- Carbamazepine
- Phenytoin
Antidepressants / Antianxiety
- Alprazolam
- Amitriptyline
- Amoxapine
- Chlordiazepoxide
- Citalopram
- Clomipramine
- Desipramine
- Doxepin
- Escitalopram
- Fluoxetine
- Fluvoxamine
- Imipramine
- Isocarboxacid
- Maprotiline
- Nortriptyline
- Paroxetine
- Phenelzine
- Protriptyline
- Sertraline
- Trazodone
- Trimipramine
- Venlafaxine
Antihistamines
- Cetirizine
- Cyproheptadine
- Dioxopromethazine
- Diphenhydramine
- Isothipendyl
- Mequitazine
- Ranitidine
- Trimeprazine
Antihypertensives
- Amlodipine
- Captopril
- Diltiazem
- Enalapril
- Indapamide
- Methyldopa
- Minoxidil
- Nifedipine
- Quinapril
- Ramipril
- Valsartan
Anti-inflammatory / Antiarthritic
- Azathioprine
- Celecoxib
- Diclofenac
- Diflunisal
- Gold Salts
- Hydrocortisone
- Ibuprofen
- Indomethacin
- Ketoprofen
- Leflunomide
- Mesalazine
- Nabumetone
- Naproxen
- Phenylbutazone
- Piroxicam
- Sulindac
- Tiaprofenic acid
Antibiotics / Antifungals / Antimicrobials
- Ciprofloxacin Chloramphenicol
- Cotrimoxazole Dapsone
- Demethylchlortetracycline
- Doxycycline
- Erythromycin
- Fleroxacin
- Griseofulvin
- Hexachlorophene
- Isoniazid
- Itraconazole
- Levofloxacin
- Lomefloxacin
- Lymecycline
- Methacycline
- Minocycline
- Moxifloxacin
- Nalidixic Acid
- Norfloxacin
- Ofloxacin
- Oxytetracycline
- Perfloxacin
- Pyrazinamide
- Sparfloxacin
- Sulfacytine
- Sulfadoxine-pryimethamine
- Sulfamethazine
- Sulfamethizole
- Sulfamethoxazole
- Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim
- Sulfasalazine
- Sulfasoxazole
- Sulfathiazole
- Sulfonamides
- Tetracycline
- Trimethoprim
Antiparasitics
- Bithionol
- Chloroquine
- Halogenated salicylanilides
- Ketoconazole
- Pyrvinium Pamoate
- Quinine
- Voriconazole
Antipsychotics
- Chlorpromazine
- Cholorprothixine
- Fluphenazine
- Flupentixol
- Haloperidol
- Olanzapine
- Perphenazine
- Piperacetazine
- Prochlorperazine
- Promethazine
- Thioridazine
- Thioxanthene
- Thithixine
- Trifluoperazine
- Trifupromazine
- Cholesterol lowering Atorvastatin
- Clofibrate
- Fenofibrate
- Pravastatin
- Simvastatin
Contraceptives / Estrogens
- Chlorotrianisene
- Diethylstilbestrol
- Estradiol
- Estrogens, conjugated and esterified
- Ethinyl estradiol
- Medroxyprogesterone
- Megestrol
- Norethindrone acetate
- Diuretics
- Acetazolamide
- Amiloride
- Bendroflumethiazide
- Benzthiazide
- Chlorothiazide
- Cyclothiazide
- Furosemides
- Hydrochlorothiazide
- Hydroflumethiazide
- Metolazone
- Polythiazide
- Quinethazone
- Triamterene
- Thiazides
- Trichlormethiazide
Hypoglycemics / Antidiabetics
- Acetohexamide
- Chlorpropamide
- Glibenclamide
- Glipizide
- Glyburide
- Sitagliptin
- Sulfonylureas
- Tolazamide
- Tolbutamide
Oils (perfumes / cosmetics)
- Bergamot
- Citron Citrus Rind
- Lavender
- Lemon
- Lime
- Musk ambrette
- Sandalwood
- Cedar
- Psoriasis
- Coal tar
- Desoximetasone
- Etretinate
- Methoxsalen
- Psoralens
- Trioxsalen
Sunscreens
- Avobenzone
- Benzophenones
- Cinnamates
- Homosalate
- Oxybenzone
- PABA esters
- Para-aminobenzoic acid
Others
- 6-methylcoumarin (perfumes, shaving lotions and sunscreens)
- Amantadine
- Benzocaine
- Carbamazepine
- Clopidogrel
- Eculizumab
- Efavirenz
- Fluorescein
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Pirfenidone
- Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
Further studies have suggested that the following herbs may also be photosensitizing [1]:
Herbs
- St. John's wort ( Hypericum perforatum )
- Angelica seed or root ( Angelica archangelica )
- Arnica ( Arnica montana )
- Celery stems ( Apium graveolens )
- Rue ( Rutae folium )
Citations
[1] St. Luke's Hospital. (2015, March 24). Complementary and alternative medicine. Photodermatitis | Complementary and Alternative Medicine | St. Luke's Hospital. Retrieved September 13, 2022, from https://www.stlukes-stl.com/health-content/medicine/33/000155.htm