Ampicillin, a drug popular for many years, is an effective antibiotic. Despite the fact that new drugs have appeared, it is still in demand by doctors and patients. This semi-synthetic penicillin antibiotic is effective against many bacteria, and from sepsis and purulent infection it helps better than others. Not everyone knows for sure why Ampicillin helps, although its low price and availability in pharmacies make it one of the most purchased drugs. Many patients prescribe it for themselves, which, of course, should not be done. The use of "Ampicillin" should be strictly prescribed by the doctor, which takes into account the patient’s health status and features of his disease. You need to know exactly what Ampicillin helps in order not to cause the development of superinfection, insensitive to antibiotics.
Drug characteristics
This medicine belongs to the group of semisynthetic penicillins and has a wide spectrum of action.
Ampicillin has been used in tablets for many years, as it is active against most bacteria. Its main active ingredient effectively destroys the cell walls of microorganisms. Ampicillin inhibits metabolic processes in the membranes of their cells. Under its influence, many gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as pathogens of some intestinal infections, die. But there are microorganisms that secrete a special enzyme, beta-lactamase. It destroys penicillin, and the drug is powerless to cure infections caused by such bacteria, such as staphylococcus. But then it effectively treats various mixed infections, purulent infection and sepsis.
Forms of drug release
1. Previously, Ampicillin tablets were quite popular. Instructions for use recommend it to be used for many infections. And now it is a fairly common antibacterial drug. Many patients buy Ampicillin for various ailments. Its price is low, so the drug is one of the most affordable. Although it is not recommended to drink antibiotics without a doctor's prescription.
2. In severe infections and in hospitals, Ampicillin is often used as an injection. Enter it intravenously or intramuscularly. The powder is dissolved in special water for injection.
3. Now the drug is available in powder form for the preparation of a suspension for oral administration. This is more convenient for those patients who find it difficult to take a pill, especially for children.
How does the medicine work?
The drug destroys bacterial cells. This leads to their death.
Ampicillin is rapidly absorbed into the blood, the maximum plasma concentration is observed after a few hours. And with intravenous or intramuscular administration - even earlier. But "Ampicillin" in tablets is quite effective. After all, the drug is resistant to the effects of stomach acid and is not destroyed in the gastrointestinal tract. For a short time, it accumulates in all body fluids and tissues: it penetrates not only the blood, but also the lymph, bile ducts, cerebrospinal and intraarticular fluid, bones and skin. Ampicillin is excreted in urine, but it is also excreted in breast milk, therefore, nursing mothers are not recommended to take it.
What are the names of the drug?
1. "Ampicillin sodium salt." This is a low toxicity broad-spectrum antibiotic.
2. "Ampicillin trihydrate." The use of this drug for urinary tract infections is justified by the fact that it is excreted in the urine almost unchanged.
3. Actually Ampicillin. The price of this drug ranges from 20 rubles per pack. This is one of the cheapest antibiotics.
4. The Ampioks. This is a combination drug based on ampicillin. It also contains the antibiotic oxacillin, so it has a stronger effect.
5. More modern drug "Amoxicillin". Ampicillin has the same composition and effect. But doctors have recently begun to use it less and less.
6. The antibiotic in question can also be purchased under the following names: “Aminopen”, “Biomycin”, “Decillin”, ““ Penbrock ”,“ Totomycin ”,“ Zetsil ”and others.
What is Ampicillin used for?
This remedy helps with the following diseases:
- bronchitis, pneumonia and even lung abscess;
- otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis or pharyngitis;
- kidney and gall bladder infections, it is especially effective for cystitis and urethritis;
- severe intestinal infections, including typhoid fever and salmonellosis;
- an effective drug against purulent wounds, infections of the skin and soft tissues, for example, with erysipelas or dermatosis, postoperative inflammation;
- This is one of the few drugs that help with gonorrhea, chlamydia and meningitis;
- treats Ampicillin various infections of the musculoskeletal system, rheumatism, arthritis and osteomyelitis.
What is Ampicillin prescribed for? It is effective for listeriosis and proteus. The medicine is also used as a prophylactic for endocarditis - inflammation of the heart muscle. Unlike other antibiotics of the penicillin group , this drug is very effective against pyogenic and hemolytic streptococci.
Contraindications
But not everyone can drink Ampicillin (tablets). The instruction warns against taking the drug for those who suffer from the following diseases:
- renal failure or kidney disease;
- liver failure;
- bronchial asthma;
- allergic diseases;
- severe violations of the digestive tract;
- mononucleosis or leukemia;
- tendency to bleeding.
Ampicillin should also not be taken by women who are breast-feeding a baby. Tableted forms are not prescribed for babies up to 6 years old.
Side effects
Undesirable symptoms may occur while taking the medicine. In this case, you need to consult a doctor about drug withdrawal. What side effects can cause Ampicillin?
- Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and dry mouth. Very often, intestinal dysbiosis develops.
- Dizziness, drowsiness, trembling hands and feet.
- Headache, cramps.
- Rhinitis or conjunctivitis.
- A rash on the body, urticaria and other allergic reactions, up to anaphylactic shock.
- Impaired liver function and hepatitis.
- Behavioral change: depression, aggressiveness, or anxiety.
- A tendency to bleeding due to a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood.
- The amount of hemoglobin and white blood cells is also reduced.
- Often there is the development of fungal diseases while taking the drug.
Ampicillin tablets: instructions for use
Depending on the state of health and age of the patient, 250 mg to 1 g is prescribed at a time. You need to drink the medicine on an empty stomach, drinking plenty of water. Take Ampicillin four times a day, at equal intervals of six hours.
Usually they drink it half an hour before meals or an hour after. If the drug is taken with food, then its absorption slows down, respectively, the therapeutic effect decreases. The duration of administration depends on the disease. In severe cases, you can extend the course of treatment for 3-4 weeks or even more. But usually, the drug is stopped a couple of days after the disappearance of the symptoms of the disease. Ampicillin injection solution can be prescribed for children from the age of one, but the treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. The dose is calculated depending on the weight of the child - 50 mg per kilogram. Injections are made for no more than two weeks, then treatment is continued in adults with tablets, and the drug is changed for children.
Special instructions for admission
- The drug is prescribed only after studying the sensitivity of microorganisms that caused the disease to it.
- The use of alcohol during treatment is strictly contraindicated.
- Weakened patients may develop superinfection, especially with prolonged use of the drug. Bacteria become susceptible to antibiotics.
- At the same time as taking Ampicillin, it is recommended to drink B vitamins and Vitamin C, as well as antifungal drugs, for example, Nystatin.
- With prolonged treatment with the drug, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the kidneys and liver, as well as the blood forming organs, a regular blood test is necessary.
- When the condition improves, you should not stop taking Ampicillin (tablets). The instruction recommends drinking it another 2-3 days after the disappearance of symptoms. This is true for other forms of medication.
- Like other antibacterial agents, Ampicillin suppresses the intestinal microflora and reduces the synthesis of vitamin K. Therefore, it is advisable to take drugs from dysbiosis and vitamin complexes at the same time as the antibiotic.
- What is Ampicillin most often prescribed for? It is more effective than other antibiotics for purulent wounds, ulcers, furunculosis, joint inflammation and cystitis.
Interaction with other medicines
- Antacids and laxatives, like food, slow down the absorption of the drug and worsen its effect.
- Acorbic acid, on the contrary, accelerates the absorption of Ampicillin.
- Other bactericidal antibiotics enhance the effect of the drug, and bacteriostatic agents inhibit it.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and various diuretics increase the concentration of Ampicillin in the blood, thereby enhancing its effect.
- When taking this antibiotic, the effectiveness of estrogen-containing contraceptives decreases.