Oxacillin is an active ingredient that is primarily used in various staphylococcal infections. These include infections after operations, infections in the ear, nose and throat area, infections of the respiratory tract, but also infections of the urinary tract, bones and soft tissues. Oxacillin is also effective for boils, carbuncles, various skin diseases and inflammations. However, the active ingredient can also lead to side effects and interactions with other drugs. It should therefore only be used under the supervision of a doctor.
What is Oxacillin?
Oxacillin is an antibiotic and therefore belongs to the isoxazolylpenicillins or the staphylococcal penicillins. Oxacillin is always used when the pathogens are resistant to penicillin G. If necessary, the agent can then also be combined with other agents.
In general, oxacillin helps to kill said bacterial strains and thus successfully treat the infection.
Pharmacological effect
Oxacillin has a special feature that many other active ingredients do not have and that are therefore ineffective in the event of an infection with staphylococci. These bacteria are able to secrete bacterial enzymes that can destroy the basic structure of penicillin molecules such as penicillin G. These bacterial enzymes that secrete staphylococci are called penicillase or beta-lactamase.
Unlike penicillin G, oxacillin is relatively insensitive to the bacterial enzymes that secrete staphylococci. In the event of an infection with staphylococci, this active ingredient can successfully inhibit the build-up of the bacterial cell walls of staphylococci. This mode of action successfully kills the bacterial strains and thus causes the infection to heal.
Oxicillin is often used successfully, particularly in the case of very severe or sometimes even life-threatening staph infections.
Medical application & use
The active ingredient oxacillin is used for prevention if infections are expected after an operation. Otherwise, the active ingredient is used to treat infections caused by strains of bacteria from the staphylococcus family. Such infections can show up in many areas of the human organism.
Infections of the heart wall and deep respiratory tract can be very dangerous. However, they can be successfully treated with oxacillin.
The active ingredient is also used in many other areas. These include infections of the urinary tract, the other respiratory tract, the bones, the soft tissues or in the ear, nose and throat area. Oxacillin also helps very well with blood poisoning, which if left untreated can be life-threatening. Nipple infections, carbuncles and boils can also be successfully treated with it. Very good experiences have also been made with this active ingredient in curing various blistering skin diseases and abscesses.
Risks & side effects
As an active ingredient that is often used when infections become very severe or even life-threatening, oxacillin is also one of the active ingredients that are associated with side effects or interactions. Interactions should be considered especially with contraceptive medication, which may be ineffective during treatment.
Medicines to reduce blood clotting, muscle relaxants, methotrexate, cephalosporins and other penicillins, but also gout medicines and various pain relievers are among the drugs for which it is important that a doctor carefully observes whether there are any interactions.
In addition to interactions, the administration of oxacillin can also lead to side effects. These include soft stools through to diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, but also itching or hives. A feeling of heat or changes in liver values are also side effects of this active ingredient.
Rare but occasionally occurring side effects can be life-threatening anaphylactic shock, anemia, lack of blood platelets, bone marrow damage, edema, swelling of the throat, vascular inflammation or even vascular obstruction, kidney dysfunction, kidney or liver inflammation, fever, muscle spasms or excitement of the brain. It is therefore important to only take this active ingredient under the supervision of a doctor and to strictly adhere to the dosage prescribed by the doctor.
