Life Science Encyclopedia

Cefuroxime is a second-generation cephalosporin antibiotic that has been widely available in the USA since 1977. It is also available under the brand name Ceftin. Glaxo Smith Kline sells the antibiotic in Australia (and other countries, such as Israel and Poland) under the name Zinnat^[1], with the Australian pharmaceutical code of R 47621. In Poland it is also produced by the Polish firm Bioton S.A. under the name Biofuroksym.^[2]

According to the package insert supplied with Zinnat, cefuroxime is manufactured as tablets, as a powder to be mixed with water and ingested, as well as a sodium salt, the latter designed for medical injection. The Biofuroksym form of cefuroxime is designed for injection by a person with medical training.

Indications

As for the cephalosporins, although as a second-generation it is less susceptible to Beta-lactamase and so may have greater activity against Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Lyme disease.

Side effects

Cefuroxime is generally well tolerated and side effects are usually transient. Cefuroxime if taken with food is both better absorbed and less likely to cause its commonest upsets of diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

Although there is a widely quoted cross-allergy risk of 10% between cephalosporins and penicillin, recent assessments have shown no increased risk for cross-allergy for cefuroxime and several other 2nd generation or later cephalosporins.^[3]

References

1. ^ Zinnat entry on the Glaxo Smith Kline website.
2. ^ Jędrzejczyk, Tadeusz. Internetowa Encyklopedia Leków. leki.med.pl. Retrieved on 2007-03-03.
3. ^ Pichichero ME (2006). "Cephalosporins can be prescribed safely for penicillin-allergic patients" (PDF). The Journal of family practice 55 (2): 106–12. PMID 16451776.