Cefadroxil (formerly trademarked as Duricef) is a

broad-spectrum antibiotic A broad-spectrum antibiotic is an antibiotic that acts on the two major bacterial groups, Gram-positive and Gram-negative, or any antibiotic that acts against a wide range of disease-causing bacteria. These medications are used when a bacterial inf ...

of the

cephalosporin The cephalosporins (sg. ) are a class of β-lactam antibiotics originally derived from the fungus '' Acremonium'', which was previously known as ''Cephalosporium''. Together with cephamycins, they constitute a subgroup of β-lactam antibioti ...

type, effective in

Gram-positive In bacteriology, gram-positive bacteria are bacteria that give a positive result in the Gram stain test, which is traditionally used to quickly classify bacteria into two broad categories according to their type of cell wall. Gram-positive bac ...

and

Gram-negative Gram-negative bacteria are bacteria that do not retain the crystal violet stain used in the Gram staining method of bacterial differentiation. They are characterized by their cell envelopes, which are composed of a thin peptidoglycan cell wa ...

bacterial infections. It is a

bactericidal A bactericide or bacteriocide, sometimes abbreviated Bcidal, is a substance which kills bacteria. Bactericides are disinfectants, antiseptics, or antibiotics. However, material surfaces can also have bactericidal properties based solely on their ...

antibiotic. It was patented in 1967 and approved for medical use in 1978.

Medical use

Cefadroxil is a first-generation cephalosporin antibacterial drug that is the para-hydroxy derivative of

cephalexin Cefalexin, also spelled cephalexin, is an antibiotic that can treat a number of bacterial infections. It kills gram-positive and some gram-negative bacteria by disrupting the growth of the bacterial cell wall. Cefalexin is a beta-lactam antibi ...

, and is used similarly in the treatment of mild to moderate susceptible infections such as the bacterium ''

Streptococcus pyogenes ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' is a species of Gram-positive, aerotolerant bacteria in the genus '' Streptococcus''. These bacteria are extracellular, and made up of non-motile and non-sporing cocci (round cells) that tend to link in chains. They ...

'', causing the disease popularly called

strep throat Streptococcal pharyngitis, also known as streptococcal sore throat (strep throat), is pharyngitis (an infection of the pharynx, the back of the throat) caused by ''Streptococcus pyogenes'' a gram-positive, group A streptococcus. Common symptom ...

or streptococcal tonsillitis,

urinary tract infection A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection that affects part of the urinary tract. When it affects the lower urinary tract it is known as a bladder infection (cystitis) and when it affects the upper urinary tract it is known as a kidne ...

reproductive tract infection A reproductive system disease is any disease of the reproductive system. Types Infections Reproductive tract infection (RTI) are infections that affect the reproductive tract, which is part of the Reproductive System. For females, reproductive tra ...

, and

skin infections Skin and skin structure infections (SSSIs), also referred to as skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs), or acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSIs), are infections of skin and associated soft tissues (such as loose connectiv ...

. Cefadroxil is used as an antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures, for patients allergic to penicillins.

Spectrum of bacterial resistance and susceptibility

Cefadroxil has a broad spectrum of activity and has been effective in treating bacteria responsible for causing tonsillitis, and infections of the skin and urinary tract. Cefadroxil covers similar organisms to Cephalexin given that it is a derivative drug. The following represents MIC susceptibility data for a few medically significant microorganisms. * ''Escherichia coli'': 8 μg/ml * ''Staphylococcus aureus'': 1 – 2 μg/ml * ''Streptococcus pneumoniae'': ≤1 – >16 μg/ml

Side effects

The most common side effects of cefadroxil are

diarrhea Diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea, is the condition of having at least three loose, liquid, or watery bowel movements each day. It often lasts for a few days and can result in dehydration due to fluid loss. Signs of dehydration often begin ...

(which, less commonly, may be bloody),

nausea Nausea is a diffuse sensation of unease and discomfort, sometimes perceived as an urge to vomit. While not painful, it can be a debilitating symptom if prolonged and has been described as placing discomfort on the chest, abdomen, or back of the ...

upset stomach Abdominal pain, also known as a stomach ache, is a symptom associated with both non-serious and serious medical issues. Common causes of pain in the abdomen include gastroenteritis and irritable bowel syndrome. About 15% of people have a more ...

, and

vomiting Vomiting (also known as emesis and throwing up) is the involuntary, forceful expulsion of the contents of one's stomach through the mouth and sometimes the nose. Vomiting can be the result of ailments like food poisoning, gastroenteri ...

. Other side effects include

rashes A rash is a change of the human skin which affects its color, appearance, or texture. A rash may be localized in one part of the body, or affect all the skin. Rashes may cause the skin to change color, itch, become warm, bumpy, chapped, dry, cr ...

hives Hives, also known as urticaria, is a kind of skin rash with red, raised, itchy bumps. Hives may burn or sting. The patches of rash may appear on different body parts, with variable duration from minutes to days, and does not leave any long-lasti ...

, and

itching Itch (also known as pruritus) is a sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch. Itch has resisted many attempts to be classified as any one type of sensory experience. Itch has many similarities to pain, and while both are unpleasant ...

Pharmacokinetics

Cefadroxil is almost completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. After doses of 500 mg and 1 g by mouth, peak plasma concentrations of about 16 and 30 micrograms/ml, respectively, are obtained after 1.5 to 2.0 hours. Although peak concentrations are similar to those of cefalexin, plasma concentrations are more sustained. Dosage with food does not appear to affect the absorption of cefadroxil. About 20% of cefadroxil is reported to be bound to plasma proteins. Its plasma half-life is about 1.5 hours and is prolonged in patients with renal impairment. Cefadroxil is widely distributed to body tissues and fluids. It crosses the placenta and appears in breast milk. More than 90% of a dose of cefadroxil may be excreted unchanged in the urine within 24 hours by glomerular filtration and tubular secretion; peak urinary concentrations of 1.8 mg/ml have been reported after a dose of 500 mg. Cefadroxil is removed by haemodialysis.

Dosage

Cefadroxil is given by mouth, and doses are expressed in terms of the anhydrous substance; 1.04 g of cefadroxil monohydrate is equivalent to about 1 g of anhydrous cefadroxil.

Veterinary use

It can be used for treating infected wounds on animals. Usually in powder form mixed with water, it has a color and smell similar to Tang. Given orally to animals, the amount is dependent on their weight and severity of infection.

References

{{CephalosporinAntiBiotics Cephalosporin antibiotics Phenols Acetamides