Ampicillin and alternatives

Abstract

There is little to suggest that ampicillin should be abandoned in favour of its newer relatives. Certainly almost all the alternatives are better absorbed than the parent compound, but diarrhoea is still fairly common with them all. Increased absorption means that satisfactory serum concentrations may be obtained on a thrice daily regimen, which patients may find more acceptable. In terms of activity the only agent which has some advantage over ampicillin is amoxycillin. Ampicillin should continue to be widely prescribed within hospitals and outside, even though its relatives may have the edge on it. Certainly no doctor need keep more than one of the group in his formulary, and if cost is no consideration amoxycillin is probably the one to choose.