Amoxicillin
Brand Names: Amoxil, Polymox, Trimox
Clinical Names: Amoxicillin
Summary
generic name: Amoxicillin
trade names: Amoxil®, Polymox®, Trimox®
type of drug: An antibiotic of the penicillin type; it is effective against a variety of bacteria such as
H. influenzae, N. gonorrhoeae, E. coli, Pneumococci, Streptococci, and certain strains of
Staphylococci; chemically, it is closely related to penicillin and ampicillin.
used to treat: Common bacterial infections such as throat infections, laryngitis, tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and otitis media; it is also used in treating urinary tract infections, skin infections, and gonorrhea.
overview of interactions:
• adverse drug effects: Probiotic Intestinal Flora
• nutrient affected by drug: Vitamin K
• nutrient affecting drug performance: Bromelain
Interactions
adverse drug effects: Probiotic Intestinal Flora
• mechanism: During the course of eliminating disease-causing bacteria, antibiotics also usually destroy normally-occurring beneficial bacterial flora that form an integral part of the healthy intestinal ecology and assist digestive and immune functions. Diarrhea and yeast infections, including vaginal yeast, are common side-effects of the disruption of intestinal ecology and the creation of an environment more susceptible to proliferation of pathogenic levels of opportunistic yeast. In more serious cases, this diminished state of intestinal health can permit overgrowth of
C. difficile, a bacteria responsible for pseudomembranous colitis. Patients who develop pseudomembranous colitis as a result of antibiotic treatment can experience diarrhea, abdominal pain, fever, and sometimes even shock.
• nutritional support: Supplementation of beneficial probiotic bacterial flora, such as
Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium bifidus and Lactobacillus cassei, preferably in the form of a varied, vigorous and abundant culture, will restore the healthy intestinal ecology and stabilize the mucosal lining of the gut. A supplemental dosage of at least one billion organisms per day is necessary to achieve the critical mass of bacterial restoration and successfully reinvigorate healthy intestinal ecology.
nutrient affected by drug: Vitamin K
• mechanism: When antibiotics destroy all or most of the beneficial bacterial flora in the gut they eliminate the organisms that synthesize a high proportion of the body's vitamin K. Therefore, many antibiotics can indirectly cause a depletion of vitamin K.
• nutritional support: Anyone taking antibiotics for more than a few weeks would most likely benefit from supplemental vitamin K, even though it is rare that such a depletion of vitamin K would produce noticeable symptoms. Restoration of the healthy bacterial flora that normally produce the vitamin K is generally advisable after the use of any antibiotics. Vitamin K1 supplementation may be necessary and is available in some multivitamin formulas.
nutrient affecting drug performance: Bromelain
• mechanism: When taken in conjunction with amoxicillin, bromelain increases absorption of the drug.
(Tinozzi S, Venegoni A. Drugs Exp Clin Res 1978;4:39-44; Luerti M, Vignali M.
Drugs Exp Clin Res 1978;4:45-48.)
• research: Research on humans has found that combining bromelain with amoxicillin in treating bronchitis, pneumonia, or other lung infections, appears to be more effective than using amoxicillin alone.
(Rimoldi R, et al. Drugs Exp Clin Res 1978;4:55-66; Komiya M. Nichidai Koko Kagaku. 1986 Sep;12(3):246-60; Takahashi K.
Shigaku. 1978 Feb;65(5):874-904.)
Earlier studies had reported that bromelain also enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of several antibiotics, including erythromycin, penicillin and chloramphenicol, in treating a variety of infections.
(Neubauer, RA. Exp Med Surg 1961;19:143-160.)
• nutritional synergy: A dosage of 2,400 gelatin dissolving units (listed as GDU on labels), or approximately 3,600 MCU (milk cloning units), of bromelain per day would typically be prescribed to take advantage of the beneficial effects of bromelain as an adjuvant to
amoxicillin.
Please read the disclaimer concerning the intent
and limitations of the information provided here.
Do not rely solely on the information in this article.
The information presented in Interactions is for
informational and educational purposes only. It is based on scientific
studies (human, animal, or in vitro), clinical experience, case
reports, and/or traditional usage with sources as cited in each
topic. The results reported may not necessarily occur in all
individuals and different individuals with the same medical conditions
with the same symptoms will often require differing treatments. For
many of the conditions discussed, treatment with conventional medical
therapies, including prescription drugs or over-the-counter
medications, is also available. Consult your physician, an
appropriately trained healthcare practitioner, and/or pharmacist for
any health concern or medical problem before using any herbal products
or nutritional supplements or before making any changes in prescribed
medications and/or before attempting to independently treat a medical
condition using supplements, herbs, remedies, or other forms of
self-care.
References
Komiya M. [Pharmacokinetic analyses of the absorption of ampicillin and amoxicillin into the blood and experimentally infected skin after simultaneous administration of an antibiotic with bromelain and lysozyme].
Nichidai Koko Kagaku. 1986 Sep;12(3):246-60. [Article in Japanese]
Luerti, M, Vignali M. Influence of bromelain on penetration of antibiotics in uterus, salpinx and ovary.
Drugs Exp Clin Res 1978;4:45-48.
Neubauer RA. A plant protease for potentiation of and possible replacement of antibiotics.
Exp Med Surg 1961;19:143-160.
Rimoldi R, Ginesu F, Giura R. The use of bromelain in pneumological therapy.
Drugs Exp Clin Res 1978;4:55-66.
Takahashi K.[Experimental study on the combined therapy of antibiotics and
bromelain]. Shigaku. 1978 Feb;65(5):874-904. (Review) [Article in Japanese]
Tinozzi, S, Venegoni, A. Effect of bromelain on serum and tissue levels of
amoxicillin. Drugs Exp Clin Res 1978;4:39-44.
For more extensive citations relating to antibiotics and probiotics see the Footnotes subsection for the "Antibiotics" topic in this Interactions section.