Azithromycin is an azalide, a subclass of macrolide antibiotics.
Azithromycin is one of the world's best-selling antibiotics,. It is derived from erythromycin; however, it differs chemically from erythromycin in that a methyl-substituted nitrogen atom is incorporated into the lactone ring, thus making the lactone ring 15-membered.
Azithromycin is used to treat or prevent certain bacterial infections, most often those causing middle ear infections, tonsillitis, throat infections, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, Typhoid, and sinusitis. In recent years it has primarily been used to prevent bacterial infections in infants and those with weaker immune systems. It is also effective against certain urinary tract infections and venereal diseases, such as non-gonococcal urethritis, chlamydia, gonorrhea and cervicitis.
Azithromycin has been most effective against isolates of the following microorganisms:
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Streptococcus agalactiae
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Streptococcus pyogenes
- Haemophilus ducreyi
- Haemophilus influenzae
- Moraxella catarrhalis
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Chlamydia pneumoniae
- Chlamydia trachomatis
- Mycoplasma pneumoniae
- Helicobacter pylori
- Salmonella typhi
- Mycobacterium avium intracellulare
Azithromycin has been shown to be effective against malaria when used in combination with artesunate or quinine; the optimal dose for this is not yet known
Azithromycin Suspension / Tablets / Capsules
100mg/5ml, 200mg/5ml x 15 ml
250mg/tab x 6, 500mg/tab x 3