Oxacillin is an active ingredient that is primarily used for various staph infections. These include post-surgery infections, ear, nose, and throat infections, respiratory tract infections, and also urinary tract, bone, and soft tissue infections. Likewise, Oxacillin is effective against boils, carbuncles, various skin diseases and inflammations. However, the active ingredient can also cause side effects and interactions with other medications. It should therefore be used only under the supervision of a physician.
What is oxacillin?
Oxacillin is an active ingredient used primarily for various staph infections. Oxacillin is an antibiotic and therefore belongs to the isoxazolylpenicillins or the staphylococcal penicillins. Oxacillin is used whenever the pathogens are resistant to penicillin G. The drug may then be used as needed. The drug can then be combined with other agents if necessary. In general, oxacillin helps to kill said strains of bacteria and thus successfully treat the infection.
Pharmacologic action
Oxacillin has a special feature that many other agents do not have and therefore are ineffective in the case of infection with staphylococci. These bacteria are capable of secreting bacterial enzymes that can destroy the basic structure of penicillin molecules, such as penicillin G. These bacterial enzymes that staphylococci secrete are called penicillase or beta-lactamase. Unlike penicillin G, oxacillin is relatively insensitive to the bacterial enzymes that secrete staphylococci. Thus, in the case of infection with staphylococci, this active ingredient is able to successfully inhibit the assembly 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, especially for very severe or sometimes even life-threatening staph infections.
Medical use and application
For prevention, the active ingredient oxacillin is used when infections are expected after surgery. Otherwise, the agent is used to treat infections caused by strains of bacteria in the staphylococcus family. Such infections can manifest themselves 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 substance is used in many other areas. These include infections of the urinary tract, other respiratory tracts, bones, soft tissues or in the ear, nose and throat area. Oxacillin is also very effective against blood poisoning, which can be life-threatening if left untreated. It can also be used to successfully treat nipple infections, carbuncles and boils. Very good experience has also been made with this agent to cure various blistering skin diseases and abscesses.
Risks and side effects
However, 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 is associated with side effects or interactions. Interactions are especially important to consider with contraceptive medications, which may be ineffective during treatment. Agents that reduce blood clotting, muscle relaxants, methotrexate, cephalosporins and other penicillins, as well as gout medications and various painkillers, are among the medications for which it is important that a physician closely monitor for interactions. In addition to interactions, side effects may also occur with oxacillin administration. These include soft stools to diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, and also itching or hives. A feeling of heat or altered liver values also occur as side effects with this active substance. Rare but occasional side effects may include life-threatening anaphylactic shock, anemia, platelet deficiency, bone marrow damage, edema, swelling of the gullet, vascular inflammation or even vascular congestion, kidney dysfunction, kidney or liver inflammation, fever, muscle cramps, or brain excitation states. Therefore, it is important to take this agent only under the supervision of a doctor and be sure to follow exactly the dosage given by the doctor.
