Clavulanate

Uses

Clavulanate is a beta lactamase inhibitor used to enhance the effectiveness of beta lactam antibiotics.

Clavulanate combined with other antibiotics is indicated to prevent the development of drug-resistant strains of bacteria and promotes their therapeutic antibacterial effects.

The following conditions, when they produced beta-lactamases, have been treated with a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid or ticarcillin and clavulanic acid:

Acute otitis media caused by H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis

Sinusitis due to H. influenzae and M. catarrhalis

Lower respiratory tract infections due to Haemophilus influenzae, S.aureus, Klebsiella species, and Moraxella catarrhalis

Skin and skin structure infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella species

Urinary Tract Infections due to E. coli, Klebsiella species of bacteria, and Enterobacter species of bacteria, S.marcescens, or S.aureus

Gynecologic infections due to a variety of bacteria, including P.melaninogenicus, Enterobacter species, E.Coli species, Klebsiella species, S. aureus, S.epidermidis

Septicemia due to a variety of bacteria, including Klebsiella species, E.Coli species, S.aureus, or Pseudomonas species

Bone and joint infections due to S.aureus

Intraabdominal infections due to E.Coli, K.pnemoniae, or B.fragilis group

A note on susceptibility

It should be noted that it is only to be administered in infections that are confirmed or highly likely to be caused by susceptible bacteria. Culture and susceptibility tests should be performed if possible and used in selecting whether this antibiotic is prescribed. When beta-lactamase enzyme production is not detected during microbiological testing, clavulanic acid should not be used. When these tests are not available patterns of local infection and susceptibility may be used to determine the appropriateness of using clavulanic acid. Ticarcillin with clavulanate has shown particular efficacy in mixed infections in addition to empiric therapy before determining the susceptibility of causative organisms. The ticarcillin-clavulanic acid combination may prove to be an effective single-agent antibiotic therapy to treat infections where a regimen of several drugs may normally be used.

Clavulanate is also used to associated treatment for these conditions: Acute Cystitis, Acute Uncomplicated Pyelonephritis, Bacterial Infections, Bacterial Pneumonia, Bacterial infection due to streptococcus, group A, Bloodstream Infections, Bone and Joint Infections, Bronchitis, Cysto-Urethritis, Gonorrhoea, Gynaecological infection, Haemophilus Influenzae, Infection Due to Escherichia Coli, Intraabdominal Infections, Lower Respiratory Infection, Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (LRTI), Moraxella catarrhalis, Otitis Media (OM), Pharyngitis, Proteus mirabilis, Sinusitis, Skin and skin structure infections, Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Tonsillitis, Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Urinary Tract Infection, Skin and skin-structure infections, Susceptible Bacterial Infections

How Clavulanate works

Clavulanate contains a beta-lactam ring in its structure that binds in an irreversible fashion to beta-lactamases, preventing them from inactivating certain beta-lactam antibiotics, with efficacy in treating susceptible gram-positive and gram-negative infections.

Toxicity

LD50 information

Clavulanate has demonstrated low oral acute toxicity in adult rodents, having an LD50 of more than 2000 mg/kg. The toxicity of clavulanic acid on pre-weaning rats was also studied. Gastrointestinal disturbance and mortality occurred, even at lower clavulanic acid doses of 125 mg/kg.

Overdose information

Overdose information has been obtained for the combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid, as these drugs are frequently administered together in a single product. Changes in fluid and electrolyte balances and gastrointestinal symptoms may occur in the case of an overdose. Offer symptomatic treatment or gastrointestinal disturbances, while considering the importance of fluid and electrolyte balance. This drug may be removed by a session of hemodialysis. When coadministered with amoxicillin, crystalluria causing renal failure has been observed. Seizures may also occur in a case of overdose, or in a patient with renal failure.

Food Interaction

• Take with food. Take at the beginning of a meal to reduce gastric irritation.

Volume of Distribution

A study in 4 healthy volunteers administered a radiolabeled dose of clavulanic acid determined a volume of distribution of 12L.Clavulanate is distributed to various tissues and interstitial fluid. Clinically significant concentrations have been measured in the gallbladder, abdomen, skin, fat, and muscle tissues. Bile, pus, synovial and peritoneal fluids are also found to have therapeutic concentrations of clavulanic acid. Studies of animals have demonstrated that clavulanic crosses the placenta.

Elimination Route

Clavulanate, when taken orally, is well absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. After administration of radiolabeled clavulanic acid to four human subjects, a minimum of 73% absorption and the average absolute bioavailability was calculated at 64%. The mean Cmax in a group of 8 healthy research volunteers was 2.098 ± 0.441 micrograms/ml in a pharmacokinetic study. The same study reported a mean Tmax of 1.042 ± 0.80 hours. Tmax is reported to be 40-120 minutes according to another pharmacokinetic study.

Half Life

The half-life of clavulanic acid is reported to be similar to amoxicillin, and last 45-90 minutes. A study of radiolabeled clavulanic acid administered to 4 healthy volunteers determined a half-life of 0.8 h.

Clearance

The clearance of clavulanic acid in a pharmacokinetic study of 4 healthy volunteers administered a radiolabeled dose of clavulanic acid was 0.21 l/min. Another resource indicates the average clearance of clavulanic acid is 12.20 liters/h/70 kg. Dose adjustments may be required in patients with renal failure.

Elimination Route

About 40 to 65% of the clavulanic acid is excreted as unchanged drug in urine during the first 6 hours following ingestion. The metabolites of clavulanic acid are found to be excreted in the urine and feces and as carbon dioxide in expired air. Clavulanate is cleared by both renal and non-renal processes. About 17% of radiolabeled dose of clavulanic acid was found to be exhaled in expired air and 8% of a dose was found to be excreted in the feces.

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