[Antibiotics: drug and food interactions].

Antibiotics are widely prescribed in medical practice. Many of them induce or are subject to interactions that may diminish their anti-infectious efficiency or elicit toxic effects. Food intake can influence the effectiveness of an antibiotic. Certain antibiotics can lower the effectiveness of oral contraception. Oral anticoagulation can be influenced to a great extent by antibiotics and controls are necessary. Interactions are also possible via enzymatic induction or inhibition of cytochromes. The use of an interaction list with substrates of cytochromes enables to anticipate. Every new prescription should consider a possible drug or food interaction.