Ampicillin is an antibiotic, a semisynthetic penicillin. The mechanism of action of these antibiotics consists in blocking one of the last stages of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, transpeptidation (the process of cross-linking the primary linear structure through which the cell wall of the bacterium achieves a stable structure), Ampicillin works on many different bacterial species killing the bacterial cells. The main difference from penicillin is an amino group that is present in ampicillin and promotes penetration of the drug through the outer membrane of certain bacteria.
Ampicillin causes cell death by impeding bacterial cell wall synthesis and by initiating the production of enzymes that continue altering the cell wall. Ampicillin resistance is provided by cleavage of the β-lactam ring by β-lactamase or BLA gene. Ampicillin is available in the form of a capsule and suspension. Additionally, it comes in an intravenous form that should only be given by a healthcare professional.
Ampicillin Sulbactam
Ampicillin and Sulbactam combination is used rather often. Sulbactam is a bacterial beta-lactamase inhibitor. The medication is introduced in two different forms including intravenous antibiotic marketed under the name Unasyn, and an oral form known as Sultamicillin that is also sold under the name Ampictam. Ampicillin/Sulbactam is administered to treat infections triggered by bacteria that are resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. The combination works effectively because Sulbactam blocks the enzyme that breaks down Ampicillin. Thus, Ampicillin can fight and kill the bacteria.
Tablets
Tablets are taken orally 4 times a day, or as prescribed by your medical advisor. Ampicillin should be taken on an empty stomach, 1 hour before a meal or 2 hours after, with a glass of water, unless your healthcare professional recommends otherwise. You should drink big amounts of fluids while using this drug. The individual dosage should be determined according to your diagnosis and response to therapy.
Antibiotics provide optimal results when the amount of the drug in your body is maintained at a constant level. Therefore, you should take this medication at evenly spaced time intervals. Continue to take the drug until you finish the prescribed course, even if the symptoms go away after a few days. The medical treatment should not be stopped too early, as it may allow bacteria to keep growing and cause the infection to relapse. If your disease persists or worsens, you should inform your medical advisor.
Conditions Treated by Ampicillin
Ampicillin is used to treat and prevent infections triggered by certain types of bacteria. Ampicillin kills sensitive bacteria by weakening the walls of its cells that leads to the death of the bacteria.
The range of infections the drug can treat includes but is not limited to the following:
- Infection caused by Salmonella paratyphi
- Food poisoning triggered by Salmonella bacteria,
- Streptococcal and Staphylococcal infections
- Acute infection of the sinuses
- Bacterial infection accompanied by chronic bronchitis
- Urinary tract infection triggered by Proteus bacteria
Ampicillin for Dogs
As mentioned above, Ampicillin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, and it is often used to treat numerous bacterial infections in dogs and cats. The list of infections includes soft tissue and skin infections, urinary tract, and respiratory infections. Ampicillin for pets is available in the form of capsules and also as an injection that is typically given at your veterinary clinic. Apart from ampicillin, Ivermectin or its brand version Stromectol is used for treatment of infections in dogs. The drug has a broad spectrum action, is effective against various conditions. For more information visit product page.
Ampicillin for Acne
Teens often have some pimples, but sometimes these pimples are bad enough and result in such an unpleasant condition as acne. It is caused and worsened by a bacterial infection that can be treated by Ampicillin. Ampicillin helps to remedy a vast range of infections, including acne. The drug can lessen the population of bacteria in your skin, thereby decreasing the inflammation.
Contraindications
You should not use Ampicillin in the following cases:
- You have an allergy to any Ampicillin ingredient or to the other penicillin antibiotics
- You are using a tetracycline antibiotic
- You have received or plan to receive live oral typhoid vaccine
- You suffer from mononucleosis
If any of these points apply to you, talk to your healthcare professional right away.
Before using Ampicillin
There are medical conditions that may interact with Ampicillin. Inform your health advisor about any medical conditions listed below:
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- All medications, herbals, or diet pills that you take
- Allergies to drugs, foods, or other substances
- Stomach infection or diarrhea
- Severe allergic reaction, like severe hives, rash, dizziness, and difficulty breathing, to a cephalosporin antibiotic
Some pharmaceuticals may cause undesired reactions if taken together with Ampicillin.
If you are using any of the medications listed below, inform your medical advisor.
- Tetracyclines, such as doxycycline, because they may lessen the effectiveness of Ampicillin
- Probenecid because it may induce the risk of Ampicillin’s adverse effects
- Allopurinol because it enhances the risk of skin rash
- Anticoagulants or methotrexate because of the increased risk of side effects
- Aminoglycosides, live typhoid vaccine, and birth control pills, because their effectiveness is reduced by Ampicillin
This is not an exhaustive list of all possible interactions. Ask your health advisor, if Ampicillin interacts with the particular medications that you take. Do this before you start Ampicillin treatment in order to determine whether you should stop or adjust the dose of any drug.
Doses
Most commonly, the oral capsule comes in the dosages of Ampicillin 250 mg and Ampicillin 500 mg. The suspension is available in 125 mg per 5 mL, 250 mg per 5 mL.
Your individual dosage, medication form, and the frequency of the drug intake will depend on the severity of the condition being treated, your age, and your reaction to the first dose.
How to Use
Take ampicillin exactly as administered by your health advisor. See also the label on the drug for dosing instructions.
- Ampicillin tablets should be taken orally on an empty stomach.
- Take Ampicillin pills with water.
- Ampicillin should be used on continuously to obtain the most benefit from the drug.
- Take the drug at the same time every day.
- To remove your infection completely, you should go through the full course of the treatment.
- Keep using Ampicillin even if you feel better.
- Missed dose of Ampicillin should be taken as soon as possible. Avoid taking 2 doses at once.
Ampicillin Side Effects
Common Side effects
All medications, including antibiotics, may cause adverse effects. However, many people have no side effects at all or experience them to a minor extent. Tell your medical advisor if any of the common adverse effects described below persist or substantially bother you:
- Irritation of throat or mouth
- Inflammation of the tongue
- Nausea
- Mild diarrhea
- Vomiting
If these reactions are mild, they will most likely go away in several days. But if they become stronger or persist, you should seek medical attention.
Serious side effects
Severe adverse effects should be addressed immediately. Call your doctor immediately if you experience some of the following reactions.
1. Allergic reactions accompanied by such symptoms as:
- flu-like symptoms
- reddish or purplish rash that increases and is painful
- blisters that could cause skin breakdown
2. Diarrhea that does not go away after you stop using the medication. Diarrhea can be accompanied with:
- stomach cramps
- fever
Safety Information and Warnings When Taking Ampicillin
People who have gonorrhea and syphilis
- Ampicillin alone does not treat syphilis. Patients with the diseases indicated above must receive a penicillin injection.
People suffering from diabetes
- The medicine may cause a false positive result of your glucose test. It means that when your urine is tested for glucose, the test may mistakenly say that there is glucose in your urine, when there is not. You should ask your health advisor if the medication is safe for you.
People having kidney problems
- Patients who have kidney problems or have previously suffered from a kidney disease may not be able to remove the drug from their bodies well. It can lead to the increased levels of the medication accumulated in the body of a patient and cause side effects.
Taking Ampicillin during pregnancy
Ampicillin belongs to a category B pregnancy medication.
It means two things:
- Research conducted in animals has not demonstrated a risk to the fetus when the future mother takes the pharmaceutical
- There are no sufficient studies conducted in humans to check if Ampicillin poses a risk to the fetus
If a woman who is about to use Ampicillin is pregnant or plans to become pregnant, she should necessarily inform her medical advisor. Animal studies may not predict the reaction of a human body to the drug. Therefore, the need to take Ampicillin during pregnancy should be carefully considered.
However, there were cases when the prophylactic use of Ampicillin reduced the chances of miscarriage secondary to group B streptococci infection in a high-risk patient. In general, Ampicillin is administered for use during pregnancy only if a benefit is considered to outweigh a risk.
Ampicillin and breastfeeding
- The medication may pass into breast milk causing adverse effects in a child. If a woman is breastfeeding, she should talk to her healthcare provider and decide whether to stop using Ampicillin or stop breastfeeding.
Ampicillin for senior patients
- When Ampicillin is administered to older adults, the condition of their kidneys should be considered. The kidneys of senior patients may work not as effectively as they used to. As a result, the drug will be processed more slowly in the body. Eventually, there will be a higher concentration of the drug staying in your body for a longer time, which can increase the risk of adverse effects.
Ampicillin for children
- The kidneys of newborns and infants are not fully developed. That is why the removal of the drug from their bodies may take a longer time. Therefore, in order to prevent the risk of adverse effects, children should be given the lowest dosage possible.
Allergies
The medication can cause a harsh allergic reaction with such symptoms as:
- Trouble breathing
- Rash
- Swelling of your tongue or throat
If you experience an allergic reaction, you should call your healthcare professional right away. In case of severe symptoms, call an emergency room. You should not continue taking the medication if you have ever had an allergy to it, as it could be fatal.
Ampicillin vs Amoxicillin
- Ampicillin is marketed under the names Polycillin, Principen, and Omnipen, while Amoxicillin is marketed as Dispermox and Amoxil
- Amoxicillin acts by crosslinking the peptidoglycan polymer chains, whereas Ampicillin acts on the enzyme transpeptidase that makes the membranes that safeguard the bacteria
- Ampicillin is commonly taken in 250 or 500 mg capsules four times a day, whereas Amoxicillin should be taken at 500 mg pills every eight hours only
Ampicillin vs Penicillin
- Penicillin and Ampicillin work by inhibiting the synthesis of microbial cell wall
- Penicillin is active against many gram-positive organisms and also some gram-negative organisms, including Treponema pallidum, Actinomyces, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae species
- Ampicillin has a broader spectrum of use against aerobic gram-negative bacilli than penicillin. However, there is a series of strains of coliforms that have become resistant to the medication
- Both Penicillin and Ampicillin are effective in oral and parenteral formulations
- The basic side effect of both drugs is an allergic reaction. Apart from this, Ampicillin may cause candida and vaginitis diarrhea
Product Disclaimer:
The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This article shouldn’t be used as a substitute for a one-on-one consultation with a medical professional. It is important to analyze the risks before consuming Doxycycline and make sure that there aren’t any contraindications. You may need to undergo a physical examination and/or certain laboratory tests to assess the state of your health. While this drug is tolerated well by most patients, it should be safe in your particular situation. Being monitored by a medical specialist is the best way to avoid any unwanted adverse effects and complications.