Roxithromycin, which may go by many different names in the pharmaceutical industry, is a commonly used antibiotic. Like other antibiotics, roxithromycin fights infection by attacking the bacteria that cause many diseases. This particular drug is very similar to erythromycin but differs in a small way on a molecular level.
Antibiotics are necessary in medicine for protecting humans and other animals from bacteria, which also roam the Earth. The mechanism through which antibiotics fight bacteria varies among different drugs. In the case of roxithromycin, the mechanism of action is reproduction prevention. Basically, the protein creation that is necessary for bacteria to reproduce is interfered with by this particular drug.
The doses of roxithromycin depend primarily on the particular situation. A person's demographics and severity of infection both play roles in how much of this drug he or she is supposed to take. Doctors prescribe most antibiotics in high doses for short amounts of time, although certain medical scenarios call for more chronic uses.
Roxithromycin first came on the medical scene in the late 1980s, when a German pharmaceutical company introduced this antibiotic commercially. Since then, many variations have come out with different companies. Today, a consumer may find this drug in tablet or suspension form under the names Xthrocin, Roxl-150, Surlid, or Roxar, among many others.
One way in which antibiotics tend to vary is half-life. This is a chemical term used to describe the amount of time necessary for a substance to lose 50% of its volume. This is significant because it affects the amount and frequency of a drug's consumption. The half-life of roxithromycin is 12 hours. This means that, after 12 hours, half of the initial amount of this drug will be gone, and after a full day, 75% of the initial dose will have been metabolized.
It is usually recommended that this particular antibiotic be taken before a meal. Taking drugs with meals usually helps with absorption, and it is also a great way to combat the nausea sometimes associated with antibiotics. There are some cases when the simultaneous ingestion of food and an antibiotic is not recommended.
Due to the clinical nature of any prescribed substance, multiple medical professionals should be consulted before a person adopts any prescription medication course. This is because only those with experience and knowledge of medicine truly understand the possible side effects, dangers, and interactions that certain drugs may have. If taken properly for the right reasons, drugs like roxithromycin can be important tools for combating disease and infection.