Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: AUGMENTIN 250 versus UNASYN.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: AUGMENTIN 250 versus UNASYN.
AUGMENTIN '250' vs UNASYN
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Amoxicillin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), disrupting peptidoglycan cross-linking. Clavulanate is a beta-lactamase inhibitor that irreversibly binds to beta-lactamases, preventing hydrolysis of amoxicillin.
Ampicillin inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs); sulbactam is a beta-lactamase inhibitor that prevents degradation of ampicillin by beta-lactamases.
One 250 mg amoxicillin/125 mg clavulanate tablet orally every 8 hours for 7-10 days.
3 g (ampicillin 2 g + sulbactam 1 g) IV every 6 hours; total daily dose of sulbactam not to exceed 4 g.
None Documented
None Documented
Amoxicillin: 1.0-1.3 hours; clavulanate: 1.0-1.5 hours; prolonged in renal impairment (up to 7 hours for amoxicillin in anuria).
Ampicillin: ~1 hour (normal renal function); sulbactam: ~1-1.4 hours (normal renal function); prolonged in renal impairment (ampicillin up to 20 hours, sulbactam up to 10-15 hours in anuria).
Renal: ~50-70% as amoxicillin, ~25-40% as clavulanate unchanged; biliary/fecal: minor (10-15% combined).
Renal: ampicillin (~75-90% unchanged) and sulbactam (~75-85% unchanged); biliary/fecal: minimal (<5% for each component).
Category C
Category C
Penicillin Antibiotic
Penicillin Antibiotic