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Rifaximin

Colidimin, Refero · ATC code A07AA11

Also known as: Rifaksimin · Brand names: Colidimin, Refero, Rifaxan, Tixteller, Xifaxan, Colidur, Hepazec

Key facts
Active substance
Rifaximin
Drug class
Antidiarrhoeal
ATC code
A07AA11
Authorisation
authorised nationally; no central EU authorisation
Information as of
2026-10-29

Key facts

Rifaximin is a rifamycin antibacterial. Per the US prescribing information (XIFAXAN), it is used for travelers' diarrhea, to reduce recurrence of hepatic encephalopathy, and for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.

What it is used for

  • Travelers' diarrhea caused by noninvasive Escherichia coli in adults and children 12 years and older; not with fever, bloody stool or other pathogens
  • Reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence in adults
  • Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) in adults

Dosing

  • Travelers' diarrhea: 200 mg orally three times a day for 3 days
  • Hepatic encephalopathy: 550 mg orally two times a day
  • IBS-D: 550 mg orally three times a day for 14 days; recurrence can be retreated up to two times with the same regimen
  • With or without food; caution in severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh Class C)

Contraindications

  • Hypersensitivity to rifaximin, any rifamycin or any component (e.g. exfoliative dermatitis, angioneurotic edema, anaphylaxis)

Important warnings

  • Not effective in diarrhea with fever and/or blood in the stool or due to pathogens other than E. coli (e.g. Campylobacter jejuni, Shigella, Salmonella); discontinue if symptoms worsen or persist more than 24 to 48 hours
  • Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea, ranging from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis
  • Increased systemic exposure in severe hepatic impairment and with P-gp inhibitors

Side effects

  • Travelers' diarrhea: headache 10%
  • Hepatic encephalopathy: peripheral edema 15%, nausea 14%, dizziness 13%, fatigue 12%, ascites 11%, muscle spasms 9%, pruritus 9%
  • IBS-D: ALT increased 2%, nausea 2% to 3%

Interactions

  • P-gp inhibitors such as cyclosporine: substantially increased rifaximin exposure; use caution
  • Warfarin: INR changes reported; monitor INR
  • CYP3A4 substrates: see the full text

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

  • No data in pregnant women; teratogenic in animal studies; advise of potential risk to a fetus
  • No information on presence in human milk

Summary of the official product information, written with AI on 2026-10-29. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.

Full official text →

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For patients

Patient information (US)

This product has no separate US patient information.

Authorisation and brand names by country

Medicines with exactly this active-substance composition, as listed in the national registers – alphabetical and without ranking. Whether a product is currently available is not shown here.

Austria

  • ColidiminGebro Pharma Gmbh · 2 register entries
  • ReferoAlfasigma S.P.A. · 1 register entry

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29

Germany

  • RifaxanAlfasigma S.P.A. · 1 register entry
  • TixtellerAlfasigma S.P.A. · 1 register entry
  • XifaxanNorgine B.V. · 1 register entry

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-29

Turkey

  • ColidurDROGSAN İLAÇLARI SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 3 register entries
  • HepazecİLKO İLAÇ SAN.VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries

Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16

USA

  • XifaxanSalix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 3 register entries

Source: U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), as of 2026-10-29

Brand names in 18 more European countries
Belgium
Targaxan, Tixteller
Czechia
Normix
Denmark
Faxinorm, Xifaxan
Finland
Targaxan, Xifaxan
France
Tixtar
Greece
Rifacol
Hungary
Normix, Refero
Ireland
Rifaximin Alfasigma, Targaxan
Italy
Flonorm, Normix, Rifacol, Tixtar, Tixteller
Luxembourg
Refero, Targaxan
Netherlands
Tixteller, Xifaxan
Norway
Xifaxan
Poland
Tixteller, Xifaxan
Portugal
Refero, Xifaxan
Romania
Normix, Tixteller
Slovakia
Normix, Refero
Spain
Spiraxin, Tixtar, Tixteller
Sweden
Xifaxan

EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29

Medelix receives no money from pharmaceutical companies. Brand names are listed alphabetically and without ranking.

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Sources

  1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. XIFAXAN (Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) – Prescribing Information, 2025-06-25. DailyMed (NLM), 2026-10-29. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=c5e8e2fd-7087-4b78-9181-cc259c0be2f1
  2. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  3. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-29. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  4. TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
  5. U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), 2026-10-29. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/
  6. Wikidata (CC0): ATC A07AA.

Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-29 · How these pages are made · Report an error

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prescribing information, via DailyMed (NLM); public domain. Not advertising, not a treatment recommendation. For questions about your own treatment, ask your doctor or pharmacist.