Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid , also known as co-amoxiclav , is an antibiotic useful for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections. This is a combination consisting of amoxicillin, an antibiotic? -lactam, and potassium clavulanate, inhibitor? -lactamase. It is specifically used for otitis media, sore throat, pneumonia, cellulitis, urinary tract infections, animal bites, and tuberculosis. This is taken by mouth or by injection into blood vessels.
Common side effects include diarrhea, vomiting, and allergic reactions. It also increases the risk of yeast infections, headaches, and blood clotting problems. This is not recommended in people with a history of penicillin allergies. It is relatively safe to use during pregnancy.
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid was approved for medical use in the United States in 1984. This is a List of Essential Medicines of the World Health Organization, the most effective and safe medicines needed in the health system. It is available as a generic drug. Wholesale costs in developing countries are around 0.18 to 1.14 USD per day. In the United States, the cost of treatment is 50 to 100 USD.
Video Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid
Medical use
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is widely used to treat or prevent many infections caused by susceptible bacteria, such as:
- urinary tract infection
- respiratory infections
- skin and soft tissue infections
- sinus infection
- cat strokes
- infections caused by oral bacterial flora, such as:
- dental infection
- the bite of an infected animal
- an infected human bite (including an uncomplicated "clenched" or "reverse-bite" injury)
This combination produces antibiotics with increased action spectrum and restored efficacy against resistant amoxicillin-producing bacteria? -lactamase.
Maps Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid
Adverse effects
Possible side effects include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, canker sores, and skin rashes. This usually does not require medical attention. As with all antimicrobial agents, antibiotic-related diarrhea due to Clostridium difficile infection - sometimes causing pseudomembranous colitis - can occur during or after treatment with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid.
Rarely, cholestatic jaundice (also referred to as cholestatic hepatitis, a form of liver toxicity) has been associated with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Reactions can occur up to several weeks after the treatment stops, and it usually takes weeks to complete. This is more common in men, the elderly, and those who have long been on medication; the overall estimate of the incident is one in 100,000 exposures. In the UK, co-amoxiclav carries a warning from the Committee on Drug Safety for this effect.
Because all aminopenicillins, amoxicillin has been associated with Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis, although this reaction is very rare.
History
British scientists working at Beecham (now part of GlaxoSmithKline), filed for US patent protection for a drug combination in 1979. They marketed it under the trade name Augmentin. Patents granted in 1985.
Preparation
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) and co-amoxiclav is the British Approved Name (BAN).
Many branded products show their strength as the quantity of amoxicillin. Augmentin 250, for example, contains 250 mg of amoxicillin and 125 mg of clavulanic acid.
Intravenous preparations have been available in the UK since 1985, but no parenteral preparation is available in the US; the closest equivalent is ampicillin/sulbactam.
Suspension of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is available for use in children. They must be cooled to maintain their effectiveness.
Veterinary use
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is used in many animals for various conditions:
- Dog: periodontitis, cough kennel
- Cats: urinary tract infections, skin and soft-tissue infections
- Calves: enteritis, navel
- Livestock: respiratory tract infections, soft-tissue infections, metritis, mastitis
- Pigs: respiratory infections, colibacillosis, mastitis, metritis, agalactia
In combination with prednisolone, it is used for intramammary infusions for the treatment of mastitis in breast-feeding cows. Trade names include Clavaseptin, Clavamox, and Synulox.
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is prohibited from use in domestic domestic animals (cattle, pigs, etc.) in the United States and Europe; in the UK, Synulox may be used in domestic-food animals during the specified withdrawal period.
Bacterial resistance
Bacterial antibiotic resistance is a growing problem in veterinary medicine. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is reported to be effective against clinical infection Klebsiella , but is not efficacious against Pseudomonas infection.
References
External links
- http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/lexicomp/amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.html
- Augmentin GlaxoSmithKline website
- http://www.laboratorioslife.com/index.php?option=com_producto&Itemid=87&task=listaProductosHumana&lang=id
Source of the article : Wikipedia