Co-amoxiclav
Encyclopedia
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (INN
) or co-amoxiclav (BAN
) is a combination antibiotic
consisting of amoxicillin
trihydrate, a β-lactam antibiotic, and potassium clavulanate, a β-lactamase inhibitor. This combination results in an antibiotic with an increased spectrum of action and restored efficacy against amoxicillin-resistant bacteria that produce β-lactamase.
Unlike co-trimoxazole
, the BAN has not been widely adopted internationally. Trade names include Augmentin (by GlaxoSmithKline
),Clavamox (by Pfizer
), and CLAMP (by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
).
(now part of GlaxoSmithKline), which filed for US patent protection for the drug combination in 1979. A patent was granted in 1984. Augmentin is the original name used by its inventor.
An intravenous preparation has been available in the UK since 1985, but there is no parenteral
preparation available in the US; the nearest equivalent is ampicillin/sulbactam
.
Suspensions
of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid are available for use in children. They must be refrigerated to maintain effectiveness.
, vomiting, nausea, thrush
, and a few other conditions. These do not usually require medical attention. However, if the patient experiences an allergic reaction to the medication, jaundice, fever, or severe diarrhea, it is necessary to contact a doctor immediately. As with all antimicrobial agents, pseudomembranous colitis
has been associated with the use of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Amoxicillin is known to have caused liver failure in some patients. Amoxicillin is a member of the penicillin
family of antibiotics, and therefore should not be taken by patients allergic to penicillin.
in dogs; urinary tract infections, skin and soft tissue
infections in cats; enteritis
and navel ill in calves; respiratory tract infections, soft tissue infections, metritis
and mastitis
in cattle; respiratory tract infections, colibacillosis
, mastitis, metritis and agalactia
in pigs. In combination with prednisolone
it is used for intra-mammary infusion for the treatment of mastitis
in lactating cows. Trade names include Clavaseptin, Clavamox and Synulox.
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is banned from use in domestic-food animals (cattle, swine, etc.) in both the US and Europe, in the UK synulox can be used in "domestic-food animals" as long as a specified withdrawal period is adhered to.
is a growing problem in veterinary medicine
. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is reported to be effective against clinical Klebsiella
infections, but is not efficacious against Pseudomonas
infections.
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/lexicomp/amoxicillin%20and%20clavulanate%20potassium.html
International Nonproprietary Name
An International Nonproprietary Name is the official nonproprietary or generic name given to a pharmaceutical substance, as designated by the World Health Organization...
) or co-amoxiclav (BAN
British Approved Name
A British Approved Name is the official non-proprietary or generic name given to a pharmaceutical substance, as defined in the British Pharmacopoeia...
) is a combination antibiotic
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
consisting of amoxicillin
Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin , formerly amoxycillin , and abbreviated amox, is a moderate-spectrum, bacteriolytic, β-lactam antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections caused by susceptible microorganisms. It is usually the drug of choice within the class because it is better absorbed, following oral...
trihydrate, a β-lactam antibiotic, and potassium clavulanate, a β-lactamase inhibitor. This combination results in an antibiotic with an increased spectrum of action and restored efficacy against amoxicillin-resistant bacteria that produce β-lactamase.
Unlike co-trimoxazole
Co-trimoxazole
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or co-trimoxazole is a sulfonamide antibiotic combination of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, in the ratio of 1 to 5, used in the treatment of a variety of bacterial infections.The name co-trimoxazole is the British Approved Name, and has been marketed worldwide...
, the BAN has not been widely adopted internationally. Trade names include Augmentin (by GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...
),Clavamox (by Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
), and CLAMP (by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. is an integrated pharmaceutical company focused on providing medicines through its three business segments: Global Generics segment, Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients segment and Proprietary Products segment. The company was founded by Dr...
).
History
The combination was invented around 1977/78 by British scientists working at BeechamBeecham (pharmaceutical company)
Beecham was a British pharmaceutical company. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Beecham, after having merged with SmithKline Beckman, merged with GlaxoWellcome to become GlaxoSmithKline .-History:...
(now part of GlaxoSmithKline), which filed for US patent protection for the drug combination in 1979. A patent was granted in 1984. Augmentin is the original name used by its inventor.
Preparations
Many branded products indicate their strengths as the quantity of amoxicillin. Augmentin 250 for example contains 250 mg of amoxicillin and 125 mg of clavulanic acid.An intravenous preparation has been available in the UK since 1985, but there is no parenteral
Parenteral
Parenteral is a route of administration that involves piercing the skin or mucous membrane. Parenteral nutrition refers to providing nutrition via the veins.-Etymology:...
preparation available in the US; the nearest equivalent is ampicillin/sulbactam
Ampicillin/sulbactam
Ampicillin/sulbactam is a combination of the common penicillin-derived antibiotic ampicillin and sulbactam, an inhibitor of bacterial beta-lactamase. Two different forms of the drug exist. The first, developed in 1987 and marketed in the United States under the tradename Unasyn, is an intravenous...
.
Suspensions
Suspension (chemistry)
In chemistry, a suspension is a heterogeneous fluid containing solid particles that are sufficiently large for sedimentation. Usually they must be larger than 1 micrometer. The internal phase is dispersed throughout the external phase through mechanical agitation, with the use of certain...
of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid are available for use in children. They must be refrigerated to maintain effectiveness.
Side effects
Amongst the possible side-effects of this medication are diarrheaDiarrhea
Diarrhea , also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having three or more loose or liquid bowel movements per day. It is a common cause of death in developing countries and the second most common cause of infant deaths worldwide. The loss of fluids through diarrhea can cause dehydration and...
, vomiting, nausea, thrush
Candidiasis
Thrush redirects here. For the hoof infection see Thrush .Candidiasis or thrush is a fungal infection of any of the Candida species , of which Candida albicans is the most common...
, and a few other conditions. These do not usually require medical attention. However, if the patient experiences an allergic reaction to the medication, jaundice, fever, or severe diarrhea, it is necessary to contact a doctor immediately. As with all antimicrobial agents, pseudomembranous colitis
Pseudomembranous colitis
Pseudomembranous colitis, a cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea , is an infection of the colon. It is often, but not always, caused by the bacterium Clostridium difficile. Because of this, the informal name C. difficile colitis is also commonly used. The illness is characterized by...
has been associated with the use of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Amoxicillin is known to have caused liver failure in some patients. Amoxicillin is a member of the penicillin
Penicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
family of antibiotics, and therefore should not be taken by patients allergic to penicillin.
Veterinary use
The amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combination is also used in the treatment of, among other infections, periodontitis and kennel coughKennel cough
Kennel cough is a highly contagious canine illness characterized by inflammation of the upper respiratory system. It can be caused by viral infections such as canine distemper, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, or canine respiratory coronavirus, or bacterial infections such as...
in dogs; urinary tract infections, skin and soft tissue
Soft tissue
In anatomy, the term soft tissue refers to tissues that connect, support, or surround other structures and organs of the body, not being bone. Soft tissue includes tendons, ligaments, fascia, skin, fibrous tissues, fat, and synovial membranes , and muscles, nerves and blood vessels .It is sometimes...
infections in cats; enteritis
Enteritis
In medicine, enteritis, from Greek words enteron and suffix -itis , refers to inflammation of the small intestine. It is most commonly caused by the ingestion of substances contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms. Symptoms include abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea, dehydration and fever...
and navel ill in calves; respiratory tract infections, soft tissue infections, metritis
Metritis
Metritis is inflammation of the wall of the uterus, whilst endometritis is inflammation of the functional lining of the uterus, called the endometrium Although these terms can apply to any species of mammal, in humans the term Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is more often used for metritis...
and mastitis
Mastitis
Mastitis is the inflammation of breast tissue. S. aureus is the most common etiological organism responsible, but S. epidermidis and streptococci are occasionally isolated as well.-Terminology:...
in cattle; respiratory tract infections, colibacillosis
Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that is commonly found in the lower intestine of warm-blooded organisms . Most E. coli strains are harmless, but some serotypes can cause serious food poisoning in humans, and are occasionally responsible for product recalls...
, mastitis, metritis and agalactia
Agalactia
Agalactia is absence of or faulty secretion of breast milk following childbirth.It is commonly associated with Sheehan's syndrome, following post partum haemorrhage....
in pigs. In combination with prednisolone
Prednisolone
Prednisolone is the active metabolite of prednisone, which is also used as a drug.-Uses:Prednisolone is a corticosteroid drug with predominant glucocorticoid and low mineralocorticoid activity, making it useful for the treatment of a wide range of inflammatory and auto-immune conditions such as...
it is used for intra-mammary infusion for the treatment of mastitis
Mastitis
Mastitis is the inflammation of breast tissue. S. aureus is the most common etiological organism responsible, but S. epidermidis and streptococci are occasionally isolated as well.-Terminology:...
in lactating cows. Trade names include Clavaseptin, Clavamox and Synulox.
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is banned from use in domestic-food animals (cattle, swine, etc.) in both the US and Europe, in the UK synulox can be used in "domestic-food animals" as long as a specified withdrawal period is adhered to.
Bacterial resistance
Bacterial antibiotic resistanceAntibiotic resistance
Antibiotic resistance is a type of drug resistance where a microorganism is able to survive exposure to an antibiotic. While a spontaneous or induced genetic mutation in bacteria may confer resistance to antimicrobial drugs, genes that confer resistance can be transferred between bacteria in a...
is a growing problem in veterinary medicine
Veterinary medicine
Veterinary Medicine is the branch of science that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease, disorder and injury in non-human animals...
. Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is reported to be effective against clinical Klebsiella
Klebsiella
Klebsiella is a genus of non-motile, Gram-negative, oxidase-negative, rod-shaped bacteria with a prominent polysaccharide-based capsule. It is named after the German microbiologist Edwin Klebs...
infections, but is not efficacious against Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas
Pseudomonas is a genus of gammaproteobacteria, belonging to the family Pseudomonadaceae containing 191 validly described species.Recently, 16S rRNA sequence analysis has redefined the taxonomy of many bacterial species. As a result, the genus Pseudomonas includes strains formerly classified in the...
infections.
Trade names
- Amoksiklav (Romania, Serbia)
- AMOX/K CLAV (875mg, Sandoz; US)
- Amoxicilina-Clavulánico (Spain)
- Amoxycillin-clavulanate (US)
- Amoxicillin-clavulanate (rINN)
- Amoxicilline-clavulanique (France)
- Amoxiclav (Belgium)
- Amoxi Clav (Canada)
- Augmentin (GlaxoSmithKline; originally Beecham, 1981)
- Augmex (Singapore)
- Augpen (Zuventus; India)
- Clamoxyl Duo Oral Suspension (Australia)
- Co-amoxiclav (UK, KSA, Ireland, South Africa)
- Moxiclav Duo (Australia)
- Xcilan (Ovia Pharma Pvt. Ltd.; India)
- polyclav625 (India)
- Аугментин (Russia)
http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/lexicomp/amoxicillin%20and%20clavulanate%20potassium.html
References
External links
- Augmentin website GlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKlineGlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...