Both Amoxicillin and Augmentin are antibiotics that are used for treating several bacterial infections and belong to the drug class of penicillin. Amoxicillin is a penicillin-type antibiotic that helps in treating several bacterial infections by stopping the growth of the bacteria whereas Augmentin is a prescription antibiotic which is a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Let us know about the differences between the two in detail.
Amoxicillin vs Augmentin
The main difference between amoxicillin and augmentin is that the former is a very common type of antibiotic which is good as well as cheap and used for treating several bacterial infections. The latter is preferred for the most common types of infections and comes in a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid.
Amoxicillin belongs to the class of medication which is penicillin antibiotics and works by stopping bacterial growth. It can be used for treating several infections such as bronchitis, skin infections and other infections like ear, nose, throat, urinary tract etc. Amoxicillin in combination with other medications is also very useful and effective.
Augmentin is a penicillin-type of antibiotic which is used for treating several infections such as infections related to the lungs and urinary tract. It comes as a combination of two other antibiotics that is amoxicillin and clavulanic acid.
Comparison Table Between Amoxicillin and Augmentin
| Parameters of Comparison | Amoxicillin | Augmentin |
| Type | It is a penicillin type antibiotic which helps in fighting bacteria | It is also a penicillin type antibiotic but comes in a combination form |
| Definition | Very commonly used antibiotic for treating bacterial infections | It comes as a combination type antibiotic (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid) |
| Best for treatment of | Amoxicillin is very good for treating bacterial infections such as ear infections, pneumonia etc | It helps in treating sinus, any type of skin infections, bronchitis and urinary tract infections as well. |
| Dosage (must follow doctor’s prescription) | It is suggested to take 500 mg of amoxicillin every 12 hours or according to the direction given by doctor. | For an adult, it is preferable to take 500 mg tablet every 12 hours or 250 mg every 8 hours. But it is best to do according to the directions given by doctor. |
| Side effects | The side effects can be different depending upon person to person. Some of the side effects are nausea, vomiting, headache etc. | The side effects of taking Augmentin could be abdominal pain, rashes, bloody diarrhoea etc |
What is Amoxicillin?
Amoxicillin is a semi-synthetic antibiotic that consists of bacteria belonging to broad-spectrum. These bacteria act against both grams positive and negative microorganisms. It is a type of penicillin that helps in treating bacterial infections, if you are taking the antibiotic correctly according to the prescription then you will start feeling better after some days of taking amoxicillin.
The medication can be used for treating the number of infections such as bronchitis, pneumonia and other infections related to ear, nose etc. Amoxicillin is also prescribed before any surgery to avoid infection. It is important to remember that the medicine must be taken only according to the directions given by your doctor otherwise it can lead to harmful side effects as well.
Amoxicillin comes in the form of a capsule which should be taken according to the doctor’s prescription only. It is important to keep these capsules at room temperature, remember to keep them away from heat and moisture. Amoxicillin is prone to degradation by beta-lactamase which is an enzyme produced by bacteria thus, the spectrum of activity doesn’t include an organism that is known to produce these enzymes.
What is Augmentin?
Augmentin is known to fight bacteria in the body. It comes with a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. In this combination, the amoxicillin which is a penicillin antibiotic helps in fighting bacteria and the acid which is a beta-lactamase inhibitor helps in the prevention of bacteria from becoming amoxicillin resistant.
This antibiotic is a prescription antibiotic which is used for treating several infections. But it is not considered good for any person who is suffering from kidney or liver diseases. The antibiotic should be taken according to the prescription by the doctor. It should be taken at the start of the meal in most cases.
Sometimes after taking augmentin you can spot an allergic reaction on your body, in such cases immediately consult your doctor. There could be conditions like severe skin reaction, fever, burning eyes, sore throat etc.
Main Differences Between Amoxicillin and Augmentin
- Amoxicillin is a standalone antibiotic whereas augmentin comes in a combination of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid.
- Doctors recommend amoxicillin when the illness-causing organism is not known but augmentin is recommended to those patients in which the cause of infection is known.
- Amoxicillin is used for treating bacterial infections like ear or throat infections whereas augmentin is used for treating sinus and infections related to the urinary tract etc.
- The two antibiotics belong to penicillin-type antibiotics but can have different side effects on different people.
- Amoxicillin is useful in treating gonorrhoea and augmentin helps in the treatment of bronchitis.
Conclusion
Amoxicillin and Augmentin are quite similar to each other but there are some differences between them in terms of composition, side effects etc. Both are used for treating different types of bacterial infections. In some cases when Amoxicillin is not able to do the work properly then Augmentin is recommended by doctors. Since it comes as a combination of two different antibiotics thus preferred more.
The two types of antibiotics show different side effects on a different bodies. So, it is important to take the recommended dosage of amoxicillin and augmentin and follow all the instructions carefully. Amoxicillin is useful for tackling ear infections, pneumonia, infection related to the urinary tract etc. On the other hand, augmentin is useful for treating sinus, skin infections etc.
References
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00003495-200363030-00005
- https://journals.asm.org/doi/abs/10.1128/AAC.22.5.753