Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
What Is Amoxil (amoxicillin)?
Amoxil (amoxicillin) is a penicillin-type antibiotic used to treat infections caused by bacteria that are B-lactamase negative (B-lactamase positive bacteria are usually resistant to Amoxil); these infections usually occur in the skin, lungs, urinary tract and eye, ears, nose, and throat. Amoxil is available as a generic drug termed amoxicillin. Amoxil may be combined with other drugs (for example, clavulanic acid [Augmentin]), to make the antibiotic more effective.
What Are Side Effects of Amoxil (amoxicillin)?
Common side effects of Amoxil include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- stomach pain
- vaginal itching or discharge
- headache
- rash, and
- swollen, black, or "hairy" tongue.
Other serious side effects of Amoxil include:
- colitis caused by overgrowth of Clostridium spp in the intestines,
- fever,
- burning eyes,
- sore throat,
- skin pain,
- seizures,
- hives,
- diarrhea that is watery or bloody,
- red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling,
- severe stomach pain,
- jaundice, and
- swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Dosage for Amoxicillin
Amoxil is available in many preparations (capsules, tablets, chewable tablets, powder for oral suspension and pediatric oral suspension).
Serious reactions of Amoxil include anaphylactic reactions that can be life-threatening; patients allergic to penicillins should not be given Amoxil.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Amoxicillin?
Amoxil may interact with probenecid, blood thinners, other antibiotics, or sulfa drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Amoxicillin During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
Treatment in pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should be done with caution.
Additional Information
Our Amoxil Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
SLIDESHOW
Fungal Skin Infections: Types, Symptoms, and Treatments See SlideshowGet emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).
Call your doctor at once if you have:
- severe stomach pain; or
- diarrhea that is watery or bloody (even if it occurs months after your last dose).
Common side effects may include:
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea; or
- rash.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
QUESTION
Bowel regularity means a bowel movement every day. See AnswerSIDE EFFECTS
The following are discussed in more detail in other sections of the labeling:
- Anaphylactic reactions [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
- CDAD [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]
Clinical Trials Experience
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
The most common adverse reactions (> 1%) observed in clinical trials of AMOXIL capsules, tablets or oral suspension were diarrhea, rash, vomiting, and nausea.
Triple therapy: The most frequently reported adverse events for patients who received triple therapy (amoxicillin/clarithromycin/ lansoprazole) were diarrhea (7%), headache (6%), and taste perversion (5%).
Dual therapy: The most frequently reported adverse events for patients who received double therapy amoxicillin/lansoprazole were diarrhea (8%) and headache (7%). For more information on adverse reactions with clarithromycin or lansoprazole, refer to the Adverse Reactions section of their package inserts.
Postmarketing or Other Experience
In addition to adverse events reported from clinical trials, the following events have been identified during postmarketing use of penicillins. Because they are reported voluntarily from a population of unknown size, estimates of frequency cannot be made. These events have been chosen for inclusion due to a combination of their seriousness, frequency of reporting, or potential causal connection to AMOXIL.
- Infections and Infestations: Mucocutaneous candidiasis.
- Gastrointestinal: Black hairy tongue, and hemorrhagic/pseudomembranous colitis.
Onset of pseudomembranous colitis symptoms may occur during or after antibacterial treatment [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]. - Hypersensitivity Reactions: Anaphylaxis [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS]. Serum sickness-like reactions, erythematous maculopapular rashes, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, exfoliative dermatitis, toxic epidermal necrolysis, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, hypersensitivity vasculitis, and urticaria have been reported.
- Liver: A moderate rise in AST and/or ALT has been noted, but the significance of this finding is unknown. Hepatic dysfunction including cholestatic jaundice, hepatic cholestasis and acute cytolytic hepatitis have been reported.
- Renal: Crystalluria has been reported [see OVERDOSAGE].
- Hemic and Lymphatic Systems: Anemia, including hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, thrombocytopenic purpura, eosinophilia, leukopenia, and agranulocytosis have been reported. These reactions are usually reversible on discontinuation of therapy and are believed to be hypersensitivity phenomena.
- Central Nervous System: Reversible hyperactivity, agitation, anxiety, insomnia, confusion, convulsions, behavioral changes, and/or dizziness have been reported
- Miscellaneous: Tooth discoloration (brown, yellow, or gray staining) has been reported. Most reports occurred in pediatric patients. Discoloration was reduced or eliminated with brushing or dental cleaning in most cases.
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Amoxicillin (Amoxicillin)
© Amoxicillin Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Amoxicillin Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
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