As with other penicillins, the following adverse reactions may occur:

Hypersensitivity Reactions

Skin rash, pruritus, urticaria, arthralgia, myalgia, drug fever, chills, chest discomfort, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and anaphylactic reactions.

Central Nervous System

Headache, giddiness, neuromuscular hyperirritability, or convulsive seizures.

Gastrointestinal Disturbances

Disturbances of taste and smell, stomatitis, flatulence, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, epigastric pain, and pseudomembranous colitis have been reported. Onset of pseudomembranous colitis symptoms may occur during or after antibiotic treatment. (See WARNINGS.)

Hemic and Lymphatic Systems

Thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, neutropenia, eosinophilia, reduction of hemoglobin or hematocrit, and prolongation of prothrombin time and bleeding time.

Abnormalities of Hepatic Function Tests

Elevation of serum aspartate aminotransferase (SGOT), serum alanine aminotransferase (SGPT), serum alkaline phosphatase, serum LDH, serum bilirubin. There have been reports of transient hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice—as with some other penicillins and some cephalosporins.

Renal and Urinary Effects

Hemorrhagic cystitis, elevation of serum creatinine and/or BUN, hypernatremia, reduction in serum potassium, and uric acid.

Local Reactions

Pain, burning, swelling, and induration at the injection site and thrombophlebitis with intravenous administration.

Available safety data for pediatric patients treated with TIMENTIN demonstrate a similar adverse event profile to that observed in adult patients.

Drug Abuse And Dependence

Neither abuse of nor dependence on TIMENTIN has been reported.

Read the Timentin (ticarcillin and clavulanate) Side Effects Center for a complete guide to possible side effects »

Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions

As with other penicillins, the mixing of TIMENTIN with an aminoglycoside in solutions for parenteral administration can result in substantial inactivation of the aminoglycoside.

Probenecid interferes with the renal tubular secretion of ticarcillin, thereby increasing serum concentrations and prolonging serum half-life of the antibiotic.

In common with other antibiotics, ticarcillin disodium/clavulanate potassium may affect the gut flora, leading to lower estrogen reabsorption and reduced efficacy of combined oral estrogen/progesterone contraceptives.

High urine concentrations of ticarcillin may produce false-positive protein reactions (pseudoproteinuria) with the following methods: Sulfosalicylic acid and boiling test, acetic acid test, biuret reaction, and nitric acid test. The bromphenol blue (MULTI-STIX®) reagent strip test has been reported to be reliable.

The presence of clavulanic acid in TIMENTIN may cause a nonspecific binding of IgG and albumin by red cell membranes leading to a false-positive Coombs test.

Last reviewed on RxList: 6/28/2011
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.