| CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium are well absorbed from
the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration of amoxicillin;
clavulanate potassium. Dosing in the fasted or fed state has
minimal effect on the pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin. While
amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium can be given without regard
to meals, absorption of clavulanate potassium when taken with
food is greater relative to the fasted state. In one study,
the relative bioavailability of clavulanate was reduced when
amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium was dosed at 30 and 150 minutes
after the start of a high fat breakfast. The safety and efficacy
of amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium have been established
in clinical trials where amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium
was taken without regard to meals.
Approximately 50% to 70% of the amoxicillin and approximately
25% to 40% of the clavulanic acid are excreted unchanged in
urine during the first 6 hours after administration of 10 ml
of amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium 250 mg/5 ml suspension.
Concurrent administration of probenecid delays amoxicillin
excretion but does not delay renal excretion of clavulanic acid.
Neither component in amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium is
highly protein-bound; clavulanic acid has been found to be approximately
25% bound to human serum and amoxicillin approximately 18% bound.
Amoxicillin diffuses readily into most body tissues and fluids
with the exception of the brain and spinal fluid. The results
of experiments involving the administration of clavulanic acid
to animals suggest that this compound, like amoxicillin, is
well distributed in body tissues.
Oral Suspension and Chewable Tablets
Oral administration of single doses of 400 mg amoxicillin;
clavulanate potassium chewable tablets and 400 mg/5 ml suspension
to 28 adult volunteers yielded comparable pharmacokinetic data
Oral administration of 5 ml of amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium
250 mg/5 ml suspension or the equivalent dose of 10 ml amoxicillin;
clavulanate potassium 125 mg/5 ml suspension provides average
peak serum concentrations approximately 1 hour after dosing
of 6.9 mcg/ml for amoxicillin and 1.6 mcg/ml for clavulanic
acid. The areas under the serum concentration curves obtained
during the first 4 hours after dosing were 12.6 mcg·hr/ml
for amoxicillin and 2.9 mcg·hr/ml for clavulanic acid
when 5 ml of amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium 250 mg/5 ml
suspension or equivalent dose of 10 ml of amoxicillin; clavulanate
potassium 125 mg/5 ml suspension was administered to adult volunteers.
One amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium 250 mg chewable tablet
or 2 amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium 125 mg chewable tablets
are equivalent to 5 ml of amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium
250 mg/5 ml suspension and provide similar serum levels of amoxicillin
and clavulanic acid.
Amoxicillin serum concentrations achieved with amoxicillin;
clavulanate potassium are similar to those produced by the oral
administration of equivalent doses of amoxicillin alone. The
half-life of amoxicillin after the oral administration of amoxicillin;
clavulanate potassium is 1.3 hours and that of clavulanic acid
is 1.0 hour. Time above the minimum inhibitory concentration
of 1.0 mcg/ml for amoxicillin has been shown to be similar after
corresponding q12h and q8h dosing regimens of amoxicillin; clavulanate
potassium in adults and children.
Two hours after oral administration of a single 35 mg/kg dose
of amoxicillin; clavulanate potassium suspension to fasting
children, average concentrations of 3.0 mcg/ml of amoxicillin
and 0.5 mcg/ml of clavulanic acid were detected in middle ear
effusions.
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