Prescription Required.
Product of Canada.
Shipped from Canada.
| Prescription Required. | Product of Canada. | Shipped from Canada. |
Amoxil (Amoxicillin)
What is Amoxil (Amoxicillin)?
Belonging to a class of drugs called Penicillins, Amino, Amoxil is the brand name for Amoxicillin, a bacteria-fighting penicillin antibiotic. Tonsillitis, pneumonia and bronchitis are just some of the infections caused by bacteria that it helps to treat. Amoxil also helps to fight ear, nose, throat, skin, or urinary tract infections.
Amoxil can also be used in the treatment of stomach ulcers when used with Biaxin, another antibiotic. Specifically, they are used to treat stomach ulcers from Helicobacter pylori infections and are often used with lansoprazole, a stomach acid reducer.
Viral infections such as the common cold or flu, will not be treated by Amoxicillin.
The science behind Amoxil
Amoxicillin is a semisynthetic antibiotic that works by stopping bacteria from growing within the body by killing them. It is an analog of ampicillin and its wide range of bactericidal qualities work on numerous Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms. Chemically, Amoxil is represented by the following: (2S,5,R,6,R)-6-[(,R)-(-)-2-amino-2-(p-hydroxyphenyl)acetamido]-3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2-carboxylic acid trihydrate.
Its molecular weight is 419.45 while the molecular formula for amoxicillin is C16H19N3O5S•3H2O.
Available dosage, appearance and ingredients
In 250 mg or 500 mg capsule form: Each Amoxil capsule has an opaque form in royal blue and pink colors. Forming the trihydrate is either 250 mg or 500 mg of amoxicillin. The product name, AMOXIL, is printed onto the cap and body of each capsule, along with either 250 or 500 for the 250 mg or 500 mg version respectively. The inactive ingredients include:
- D&C Red No. 28
- FD&C Blue No. 1
- FD&C Red No. 40
- gelatin
- magnesium stearate
- titanium dioxide
In 500 mg or 875 mg tablet form: As the trihydrate in each tablet, there is either 500 mg or 875 mg. Each tablet is debossed with AMOXIL. Below is either 500 or 875 for the 500 mg or 875 mg version respectively. Additionally, on the 875 mg tablet, it is scored on the back. Each tablet is pink, film-coated and capsule-shaped.
The inactive ingredients include:
- Colloidal silicon dioxide
- Crospovidone
- FD&C Red No. 30
- aluminum lake
- Hypromellose
- magnesium stearate
- microcrystalline cellulose
- polyethylene glycol
- sodium starch glycolate
- titanium dioxide
Reconstituted suspension for oral treatment: The trihydrate will contain either 125 mg, 200 mg, 250 mg or 400 mg of amoxicillin per 5 mL.
- 125 mg of amoxicillin contains 2.51 mg of sodium per 5 mL.
- 200 mg of amoxicillin contains 3.39 mg of sodium per 5 mL.
- 250 mg of amoxicillin contains 3.36 mg of sodium per 5 mL.
- 400 mg of amoxicillin contains 4.33 mg of sodium per 5 mL.
The inactive ingredients include:
- FD&C Red No. 3
- Flavorings
- silica gel
- sodium benzoate
- sodium citrate
- sucrose
- xanthan gum
How should you take Amoxil?
Amoxil should be taken exactly as your doctor has prescribed. Pay attention to your prescription label and any instruction leaflets that accompany your medication. It is preferable that you take Amoxil at the same time for each day of your course of treatment.
For the oral suspension, you should shake the bottle before measuring out a dose with either a dosing syringe or a medicine dose device, but do not use a regular cutlery spoon.
You may need frequent medical tests to check the efficacy of your course of treatment.
You should take the entire course of medication, do not stop because your symptoms have improved as the infection may still be active.
How to store Amoxil
- Amoxil should be stored at room temperature, make sure it is kept away from moisture, heat and light.
- Amoxil can be stored in a refrigerator, but it shouldn’t be frozen. Discard any unused Amoxil 14 days after being mixed.
What are the potential side effects of Amoxil?
The most common side effects of Amoxil include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, vaginal yeast infection and developing a rash.
Other possible side effects caused by Amoxil may include:
- Hives
- Breathing difficulties
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Fever
- A sore throat
- Burning eyes
- Painful skin
- Blistering and peeling skin with a red or purple rash
- Severe stomach pain
- Watery or bloody diarrhea, even months after your last dose
Warnings and precautions
Allergies and other conditions
- If you are allergic to amoxicillin, or any penicillin antibiotic, you should not use Amoxil. Other penicillin antibiotics include:
- Ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen)
- Dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen)
- Oxacillin (Bactocill)
- Penicillin (beepen-VK, Ledercillin VK, Pen-V, Pen-Vee K, Pfizerpen, V-Cillin K, Veetids)
- Others
You should make your doctor aware of any allergies or allergies to cephalosporins. These include:
- Omnicef
- Cefzil
- Ceftin
- Keflex
- Others
You should also let your doctor know if you are asthmatic or have kidney disease. Also tell them if you have a blood clotting disorder, mononucleosis (mono).
Birth control pills
Birth control pills can be rendered less effective by Amoxicillin, so you should seek a non-hormone means of birth control. These include, but are not limited to:
- Condoms
- A diaphragm
- Spermicide
Diarrhea
During the course of treatment, diarrhea can be caused by antibiotic medications, such as Amoxil, or can occur within a few months of the treatment ending. Diarrhea can indicate a new infection. If diarrhea is watery or bloody, patients should call their doctor and stop the course of Amoxil. Unless advised by your doctor, do not take any anti-diarrhea medications.
Anaphylactic Reactions
Hypersensitivity has been reported in some patients on penicillin, including amoxicillin. This can be serious and fatalities have been reported. Anaphylaxis is more common after parenteral therapy, but it has also occurred amongst patients using oral penicillins. Patients with a history of penicillin hypersensitivity and sensitivity to different allergens are more likely to experience reactions. Some patients with penicillin hypersensitivity have experienced significant reactions when using cephalosporins.
Clostridium Difficile Associated Diarrhea
Almost all antibacterial agents, including Amoxil, have yielded reports of Clostridium Difficile Associated Diarrhea (CDAD). It can range from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. Antibacterial agents can change the normal condition of the colon, resulting in an overflow of C. difficile which can lead to CDAD. The use of antibiotics not targetting C. difficile should be ended if CDAD is suspected or has been detected. Protein, fluid and electrolytes should be managed while C. difficile is treated with antibiotics.
Mononucleosis
An erythematous skin rash develops in a high number of patients on amoxicillin with mononucleosis.
Use In Pregnancy
While amoxicillin studies conducted in pregnant mice and rats showed no proof of harm to the fetus, there have not been enough studies on pregnant women. Animal reproductive behavior does not always closely reflect the human experience, so pregnant women should only be treated with amoxicillin when necessary.
Nursing Mothers
Since there is evidence that penicillins are excreted in human milk, it can cause sensitization in infants if used by nursing mothers. Doctors should be cautious about prescribing amoxicillin to nursing women.
Pediatric Use
Since renal functions in neonates and young infants are still developing, the processing of amoxicillin may take longer. Amoxicillin dosing should be adjusted for patients who are 12 weeks old or younger.
Geriatric Use
Studies of Amoxil use amongst patients aged 65 or older have not yielded any evidence that the reaction is any different than in younger patients. Despite that, a higher degree of sensitivity cannot be discounted amongst older patients. Extra consideration should be paid to how impaired renal function can mean the kidney takes longer to excrete the amoxicillin. Since it is more likely that elderly patients will suffer from compromised renal function, extra attention should be paid and renal function should be monitored.
Interactions between Amoxil and other medications
Your doctor should be aware of all other medications you are taking. This is particularly important if you are taking:
- Any other antibiotics
- Allopurinol
- Probenecid
- A blood thinner, such as:
- Warfarin
- Coumadin
- Jantoven
Disease interactions with Amoxil
There are 5 Amoxil disease interactions and these include:
- colitis
- mononucleosis
- diabetes
- renal dysfunction
- hemodialysis
Contraindications
Amoxil is contraindicated for:
Patients with a history of significant hypersensitivity reaction, such as anaphylaxis or Stevens-Johnson syndrome, after taking Amoxil or other similar antibiotics, penicillins or cephalosporins.