Augmentin (Amoxicillin Clavulanate) Drug Overview and Uses for Patients and Caregivers at RxList

Pill Identifier Search

May 25, 2012

Augmentin

Urinary Tract Infection (UTI In Adults) »

Urinary tract infection (UTI) facts

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are infections of the urethra, bladder, ureters, or the kidneys, which comprise the urinary tract.
E. coli bacteria cause the majority of UTIs, but many other bacteria, fungi, and parasites may also cause UTIs.
Females have a higher risk for UTIs than most males, probably because of their anatomy; other risk factors for UTIs include any condition that may impede urine flow (e.g., enlarged prostate, congenital urinary tract abnormalities, and inflammation). Patients with catheters or those who undergo urinary surgery and men with enlarged prostates are at higher risk for UTIs.
Symptoms and signs of UTI vary somewhat depending on sex, age, and the area of the urinary tract that is infected; some unique symptoms develop depending on the infecting agent.
UTIs are diagnosed usually by isolating and identifying the urinary pathogen from the patient; there a...

Read the Urinary Tract Infection (UTI In Adults) article »

« Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Next »

Augmentin

Take the MRSA Quiz!

Strep or Sore Throat Slideshow Pictures

Infectious Mononucleosis Slideshow Pictures

font size

AUGMENTIN®
(amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium) Tablets

To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of AUGMENTIN (amoxicillin/clavulanate potassium) and other antibacterial drugs, AUGMENTIN should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria.

DRUG DESCRIPTION

AUGMENTIN is an oral antibacterial combination consisting of the semisynthetic antibiotic amoxicillin and the β-lactamase inhibitor, clavulanate potassium (the potassium salt of clavulanic acid). Amoxicillin is an analog of ampicillin, derived from the basic penicillin nucleus, 6-aminopenicillanic acid. The amoxicillin molecular formula is C₁₆H₁₉N₃O₅S•3H₂O, and the molecular weight is 419.46. Chemically, amoxicillin is (2S,5R,6R)-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 and may be represented structurally as:

Amoxicillin Structural Formula Illustration

Clavulanic acid is produced by the fermentation of Streptomyces clavuligerus. It is a β-lactam structurally related to the penicillins and possesses the ability to inactivate a wide variety of β-lactamases by blocking the active sites of these enzymes. Clavulanic acid is particularly active against the clinically important plasmid-mediated β-lactamases frequently responsible for transferred drug resistance to penicillins and cephalosporins. The clavulanate potassium molecular formula is C₈H₈KNO₅, and the molecular weight is 237.25. Chemically, clavulanate potassium is potassium (Z)-(2R,5R)-3-(2-hydroxyethylidene)-7-oxo-4-oxa-1- azabicyclo[3.2.0]-heptane-2-carboxylate, and may be represented structurally as:

Clavulanate potassium Structural Formula Illustration

Inactive Ingredients: Colloidal silicon dioxide, hypromellose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, sodium starch glycolate, and titanium dioxide.

Each tablet of AUGMENTIN contains 0.63 mEq potassium.

Last reviewed on RxList: 10/13/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.