Xifaxan (rifaximin) is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infection only in the intestines.
Rifaximin works differently from other antibiotics because it passes through your stomach and into your intestines without being absorbed into your blood stream. Because rifaximin treats only the intestinal tract, it will not treat infections of other parts of the body.
Xifaxan is used to treat travelers' diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) in adults and children who are at least 12 years old. Most people get this infection by eating food or drinking fluids that have been contaminated with the E. coli bacteria.
Xifaxan is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults whose main symptom is diarrhea.
Xifaxan is also used to lower the risk of a decline in brain function in adults with liver failure. Brain function can be affected when the liver stops working and cannot remove toxic substances from the body.
