Amoxycillin injectable: a review of its antibacterial spectrum, pharmacokinetics and therapeutic use.

Amoxycillin, an acid stable semisynthetic penicillin shown to be effective against a wide range of infections when given orally, is now available for intramuscular and intravenous injection. Amoxycillin has an antibacterial spectrum and level of activity essentially the same as for ampicillin. Amoxycillin has been shown to have more rapid and complete bactericidal action than ampicillin against E. coli in vitro and in animal models of infection, but the clinical importance of this difference has not yet been determined. Amoxycillin is present in therapeutic amounts in the cerebrospinal fluid of meningitis patients given the drug intravenously and parenteral amoxycillin has been successfully used in the treatment of meningitis, and in urinary tract infections, septicaemia, upper and lower respiratory tract infections and a variety of other infections caused by Gram-negative and Gram-positive aerobic bacteria. However, the extent of experience is limited compared with ampicillin, and thus further studies are needed to more clearly delineate its relative therapeutic role. Parenteral amoxycillin is generally well tolerated. Pain at the site of intramuscular injection occurs in about one-third of patients, but can be minimised by the use of lignocaine or procaine hydrochloride.