Prescription Drug:
Penbritin capsules, syrup and injection all contain the active ingredient ampicillin, which is a type of antibiotic called a penicillin. (NB. Ampicillin is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic drug.) Ampicillin is used to treat infections caused by bacteria. The injection is used to treat more serious infections, or in cases where the drug can't be taken by mouth.
Ampicillin works by interfering with the ability of bacteria to form cell walls. The cell walls of bacteria are vital for their survival. They keep unwanted substances from entering their cells and stop the contents of their cells from leaking out. Ampicillin impairs the bonds that hold the bacterial cell wall together. This allows holes to appear in the cell walls and so kills the bacteria.
Ampicillin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic which kills a wide variety of bacteria that cause a wide variety of commonly-occuring infections. Ampicillin may be used to treat infections of the airways, ears, nose and throat. It may also be used to treat urine infections, certain sexually-transmitted infections, and certain infections affecting the blood or internal organs.
To make sure the bacteria causing an infection are susceptible to ampicillin your doctor may need to take a tissue sample, for example a swab from the throat or skin, or a urine or blood sample.
This belongs to the group of drugs known as antibiotics.
It is used to treat bacterial infections, such as infections of the chest and ear, by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria. It can also be used to prevent infections occurring in high-risk patients.
Ampicillin is available in capsule, oral liquid and injection form.
No Prescription:
Ampicillin is one of the most widely prescribed antibiotics. It is considered a penicillin and is a close relative of another penicillin, amoxicillin. Unlike penicillin, ampicillin and amoxicillin can penetrate and prevent the growth of certain types of bacteria, called gram-negative bacteria. Ampicillin is used mainly to treat infections of the middle ear, sinuses, bladder, kidney, and uncomplicated gonorrhea. It also is used intravenously to treat meningitis and other serious infections. Ampicillin was approved by the FDA in 1963.
Prescription is used for:
Bacterial infections of the ear, nose and throat, eg otitis media, sinusitis.
Bronchitis.
Pneumonia.
Bacterial infections of the urinary tract.
Gynaecological infections, eg gonorrhoea.
Bacterial infection of the blood (septicaemia or blood poisoning).
Bacterial infections in the abdomen (peritonitis).
Bacterial infections of the stomach and intestines.
Bacterial infection of the heart valves and the lining surrounding the heart (bacterial endocarditis).
Bacterial meningitis.
Typhoid and paratyphoid fever.
Oral ampicillin (or amoxicillin) is effective against susceptible bacteria causing infections of the middle ear, sinuses, bladder, and kidney. Only mild to moderate infections are treated with oral ampicillin. Bacteria against which ampicillin often is effective include: enterococci, Listeria monocytogenes, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, some Hemophilus influenzae, Gardnerella vaginalis, Bordetella pertussis, and some E. coli, Proteus mirabilis, Salmonella, and Shigella. Susceptibilities of bacteria to antibiotics vary from location to location. Thus, some doctors may use ampicillin or amoxicillin first for some infections, whereas other doctors may use more "broad-spectrum" antibiotics.
Prescription Side Effects:
Abdominal pain;
Blood disorders;
Diarrhea or loose stools;
Diarrhoea;
Inflammation of the large intestine (colitis);
Itching (pruritus);
Liver or kidney disorders;
Loss of appetite;
Nausea (feeling sick);
Nausea or vomiting;
Nausea;
Rash;
Tummy pains;
Vomiting (being sick);
Vomiting;
Prescription Form:
Tablets: 250 milligrams;
Tablets: 500 milligrams.
Oral suspension: 100 milligrams/1 milliliter;
Oral suspension: 125 milligrams/5 milliliters;
Oral suspension: 250 milligrams/5 milliliters.
Prescription Recommended Dosage:
Food in the stomach reduces how much and how quickly ampicillin is absorbed. Administration should be either 1 hour prior to or 2 hours following a meal for maximal absorption. However, for persons who experience nausea or stomach distress after taking ampicillin, it may be taken with meals. Ampicillin most often is given four times a day for 7 to 14 days. When used to treat gonorrhea, it is given as a single large dose (for example, seven 500 milligrams capsules) with probenecid. The probenecid slows down the elimination of the ampicillin so that the ampicillin remains in the body longer.
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