Difference Between Ampicillin and Amoxicillin

Ampicillin and Amoxicillin are antibiotics and are quite the same in its basic composition.  Amoxicillin is a better known drug and medication that are commonly sold in the market as Amoxil, Dispermox and Alphamox.  It is a B Lactam antibiotic that is used for treatment of bacterial infections.  As it is better absorbed by the human system, the drug is more popular for use in the market.  Ampicillin is also a beta-lactam antibiotic that is popular for treating bacterial infections and is sold in the market as Omnipen, Polycillin and Principen.  This type of drug is as well able to penetrate the Gram positive bacteria and in some cases the Gram negative.  However, with Amoxicillin, it acts by preventing the synthesis of bacterial walls that will surround and protect them.  Another major difference within the composition is that the Ampicillin is noted to have these amino acids that will invade the formed membranes of Gram negative bacteria.

Amoxicillin works by cross linking the linear peptidoglycan polymer chains of the cell wall of the Gram Positive and Negative bacteria.  Thus, it weakens the defenses of the invading substances that make a person weak and sick.  On the other hand, the Ampicillin works against the enzyme transpeptidase, which is a basic component needed by bacteria to from the membranes that surround them.  In effect, the function of both the drugs is to prevent the membranes of the bacteria from fully forming so that the antibodies in the human immune system can penetrate them and remove them.  Bacteria by itself cannot survive inside the human body without the protective walls that surround it.

When it comes to dosage and intake, the ampicillin is taken with 250 to 500 mg tablets four times in a day for around 7 to 14 days depending on the prescription stated by the attending physician.  On the side, the Amoxicillin works well when it is taken with 500 mg tablets for every eight hours or 875 mg for every 12 hours depending on the severity of the infection.  For the treatment of gonorrhea, it is suggested that Amoxicillin should be taken as 3g as good as one dosage while Ampicillin should be around 3.5 gram dose taken with probenecid.

When taking antibiotics, it is essential that you take the advice of your doctor to the note.  If you miss out on one intake, it is important that you catch up with it.  On the other hand, it is never advised to take double dosage of the drugs just to make up for the lost pill as this may lead to over dosage.  If you are unable to catch up the missed pill, skip that dosage entirely and move on to the next schedule.

Summary:

1.Ampicillin is sold in the market as Omnipen, Polycillin, and Principen while Amoxicillin is sold as Amoxil and Dispermox
2.Amoxicillin works by cross linking the peptodoglycan polymer chains while Ampicillin works on the enzyme transpeptidase that forms the membranes that protect the bacteria.
3.Ampicillin should be taken in 250 or 500 mg tablets four times a day while Amoxicillin can be taken at 500 mg tablets every eight hours only.