The development of antibiotics has been one of the most important medical advances. An antibiotic is a drug that destroys the growth of microorganisms in the body.
The two most common antibiotics on the market today are Amoxicillin and Penicillin. Both drugs are used to fight infectious diseases that attack our bodies. Although they are classified similarly, it is essential to note the faint differences between the two drugs.
Amoxicillin and Penicillin Differences
Amoxicillin and Penicillin are actually a byproduct of the growth of penicillin mold. This yellow mold is called penicillium and is often found in obsolete food. It was accidentally discovered by a man named Alexander Fleming. He found that mold’s growth product could fight and destroy harmful bacteria.
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic that was derived from the original source of Penicillin. It is primarily a semi-synthetic drug that helps relieve pain and kills all the harmful bacteria that make you sick.
Today, Amoxicillin is the preferred antibiotic used to treat a severe bacterial infection. The drug’s compound enables it to act through stomach acid and penetrate the bloodstream more effectively. Penicillin does not achieve the same level of absorption as its counterpart.
It is interesting to note that both drugs use bacteria in the same way. There is no difference in the effectiveness of these drugs.
Changing the dose of the drug is established throughout the treatment. Medical studies have shown that Amoxicillin manages to kill the infection in a shorter period, so treatment continues for a brief interval.
Doctors prescribe Amoxicillin for children more often because of the short treatment cycle. Six days of treatment is preferable to a long ten-day treatment with Penicillin.
In any case, consult your physician before using medication.
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of Amoxicillin is quite similar to that of Penicillin. It means that the drug’s ability to have the maximum possible effect is similar.
For example, if the therapeutic effect of Amoxicillin is more expressed. Penicillin cannot achieve this effect even in high dosages.
The speed of treatment in Amoxicillin and Penicillin are about the same. These two drugs also have the same bioavailability (the amount of the substance that reaches the site of its action). The higher the bioavailability, the less it will be lost to absorption and use by the body.
Safety
The safety of the drug involves many factors. At the same time, Amoxicillin’s safety is quite similar to that of Penicillin.
Drug substances are excreted from the body either unchanged or as products of their biochemical transformations. Metabolism proceeds spontaneously but most often involves major organs such as the liver, kidneys, lungs, skin, brain, etc. When evaluating Amoxicillin and Penicillin’s metabolism, we look what is the metabolizing organ and how critical its effect is.
When prescribing a drug, the risk/benefit ratio is undesirable but justified under certain conditions and circumstances. Both Amoxicillin and Penicillin have no risks to use.
Contraindications
The number of contraindications for Amoxicillin is quite similar to Penicillin. It is a list of symptoms and diseases when both antibiotics may be undesirable or unacceptable.
Summary
Both Amoxicillin and Penicillin are forms of antibiotics.
Antibiotics are used to treat internal bacterial infections.
Alexander Fleming discovered Penicillin; it was a byproduct of mold growth.
Amoxicillin is a semi-synthetic antibiotic whose soothing contents help fight pain and infection. It is a preferred antibiotic for children is because of its short course of treatment.
Amoxicillin fights infection faster than Penicillin.
The treatment time for Amoxicillin is six days. The treatment time for Penicillin is ten days.
Warning:
Be sure to read about all possible side effects before using any medication. Consult your doctor before using any medication!
