Product Information

Almox 500 contains 500mg of Amoxicillin as its active ingredient. Amoxicillin belongs to the group
of antibiotic called beta-lactam antibiotics or the penicillin family. It is a broad-spectrum
antibiotic used in the treatment of a wide variety of bacterial infections caused by gram-positive
and gram-negative bacteria. Bacterial infections that Almox can treat are, but not limited to the
following:
 Bronchitis or pneumonia
 Skin infections
 Throat infections
 Bone infections
 Ear infections
 Teeth and gum infections
 Heart infections
 Kidney or genitourinary tract infections
 Nose or sinus infections
 Blood infections
 Respiratory tract infections

It is also used for the treatment of gonorrhea, typhoid and paratyphoid, and infections related to
pregnancy. Amoxicillin is prescribed in conjunction with other medications for the treatment of
stomach ulcer.

Amoxicillin kills bacteria by attacking bacterial cell wall during the multiplication stage. It works
by binding to penicillin binding proteins inside the cell wall of bacteria, then inactivates the
enzyme responsible for the production of peptidoglycan, a substance that provides strength for
the cell wall in order for the bacteria to survive inside a human body. Bacterial death is achieved
through this cell wall biosynthesis inhibition.

Amoxicillin is usually the drug of choice among the other beta-lactam antibiotics because of
better absorption after oral intake.

Manufacturer

Almox 500 is manufactured by Alkem Laboratories Ltd.

Dosage

A physician will determine the right dosage for each patient, as the dosage may vary depending
on the infection being treated, other current medical conditions, other medications being used
and the age or weight of the patient.
The usual adult dose of Amoxicillin is 250mg, three times a day. Dose may be increased to 500mg
to 1gram, three times a day, for severe infections. However, there are infections that require
ever higher doses of Amoxicillin, such as but not limited to the following:
 3 grams of Amoxicillin, twice daily is the recommended dosage for severe or recurrent
chest infections
 A single 3gram dose is recommended for gonorrhea

The maximum dose of Amoxicillin is 6grams daily in divided doses. The recommended duration
of antibiotic therapy is 7 to 14 days although some infections may require longer antibiotic
therapy. Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed by a physician. Antibiotics must not be stopped
before the duration ends, even if the patients started feeling better – this is to avoid bacterial
resistance to the antibiotic which will cause the infection to return and the condition to get
worse.

Almox capsules is taken orally, with or without food, swallowed whole with a glass of water.
Other brands of Amoxicillin require the drug to be taken with food, within an hour of eating a
meal. Take a missed dose as soon as remembered, but if it’s almost time for the next dose, skip
the missed dose. Never double the dose to make up for a missed dose.

Contraindications

Patients allergic to amoxicillin or to other beta-lactam antibiotics and antibiotics belonging to the
penicillin family llike ampicillin, dicloxacilliin, oxacillin, must not use Almox.

Side Effects

Antibiotics can cause side effects but each patient respond to the antibiotic differently. Some
patients experience no side effects, but others may experience some common or serious side
effects. Less serious side effects of Almox include:
 Headache
 Stomach pain
 Nausea
 Vomiting
 Diarrhea
 Rash
 Vaginal itching or discharge
 Swollen, black or “hairy” tongue

Seek medical help right away if any of the serious side effects occur:
 Severe diarrhea with bleeding
 Convulsion
 Urine turning darker and feces paler
 Easy bruising or unusual bleeding of nose, mouth, rectum or vagina
  Severe skin reaction
 Severe numbness, tingling, muscle weakness
 Jaundice
 Colitis
 Fever
 Swollen glands

The following side effects are reported but with a rare occurrence:
 Tooth discoloration
 Excessive body movement
 Reduced blood cell count
 Crystalluria
 Kidney inflammation
Prolonged or repeated use of Amoxicillin may cause vaginal yeast infection or oral thrush with
symptoms of white patches or sores inside the mouth or on lips.

Taking of Almox must be stopped if an allergic reaction occurs with symptoms like rash, itching,
swelling of face, tongue or throat, severe dizziness, and trouble breathing.

Consult a healthcare professional for more information on Almox side effects.

Warnings and Precautions

Consulting a physician before taking Almox is recommended to know if the antibiotic is safe to
take and to get the right dosage. The physician must be informed of other medical conditions
and other medications taken to causing more health damage and prevent drug interactions.

Inform a physician of any of the following conditions before using Almox:

 Asthma
 Liver disease
 Kidney disease
 Mononucleosis
 History of diarrhea caused by antibiotics
 Food allergies
 Drug allergies like allergy to cephalosporin antibiotics

Amoxicillin (Almox) can interact with other medications. It is known to reduce the effectiveness
of birth control pills, patches or rings because it affects estrogen reabsorption. Combination with
oral anticoagulants may require careful monitoring because of increased anticoagulation effects.
Other antibacterial drugs such as macrolides, sulfonamides, chloramphenicol and tetracycline
interferes with the effects of penicillin antibiotics including amoxicillin.
It can also interact with the following medications:
 Probenecid – increases and prolongs amoxicillin blood levels
 Allopurinol – combination with amoxicillin increases risk of rash
 Antigout medications

Vaccination containing live bacteria is not recommended while taking this drug. This medication
can cause false-positive results in urine-glucose diagnostic tests such as Clinitest, Benedict’s
Solution and Fehling’s Solution.

Amoxicillin (Almox) is under Pregnancy Category B – animal studies have shown that amoxicillin
does not harm the fetus but there are not enough studies done in pregnant women. This
antibiotic should only be used if no safer alternative is available and the benefit of the drug
outweighs the risk.

Caution is advised to nursing mothers as amoxicillin is excreted in human milk and may cause
sensitization of nursing babies.

Almox and Alcohol

The combination of Amoxicillin (Almox) and alcohol is found to be safe and does not alter the
effects of the antibiotic. It is however recommended to avoid alcohol use to help the body fight
the infection.