# rifampicin (rifamycin) VS Rifaximin



## 22663 (Aug 17, 2005)

Hey People,Just recently I was provided with detailed procedures on how to undergo the HPI treatment in Australia. Read here for further information on this:http://ibsgroup.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/431...m/405104861/p/4Anyway, part of the protocol entails taking a 2 week course of Rifampicin. Whilst waiting for my chemist to get this drug in & being the curious individual I am I did some research into it & it seems that rifampicin is relatively similar to Rifaximin. Can someone with more knowledge than I as it comes to Antibiotics offer there input as to what the differences are with these 2 antibiotics. Maybe it might be worthwhile for me to mention to the clinic (http://www.probiotictherapy.com.au). If Rifaximin is basically the same as rifampicin except that it has an extremely low absorption rate into the body then it is probably a better drug for the HPI therapy than Rifampicin.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Looks like they are deriviatives of the same compound.Rifampicin is used to treat TB and other diseases not in the GI tract, so it must be absorbed into the body.Rifaximin is pretty much not absorbed into the body at all and is why it is used for things where you want all the drug to be in the GI tract.K.


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## 22663 (Aug 17, 2005)

I find it very interesting that the drug Rifampicin is basically the same as Rifaximin (with less potential side effects). Rifaximin seems to be the drug of Choice Dr. Pimentel has used to treat Bacterial overgrowth. I would much rather take a 2 week course of Rifaximin than Rifampicin, however I need to convince my local GP to write out the prescription. Unfortunately Dr Thomas Borody is away at the moment, so I can't simply ring him for it.














Trying to explain the rationale for wanting the Drug & the HPI therapy to my General GP is going to be a challenge on its own.


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