Effect of food on the bioavailability and tolerance of clavulanic acid/amoxycillin combination

‘Augmentin’, the novel antibiotic formulation containing the β-lactamase inhibitor, clavulanic acid, and the η-lactam antibiotic, amoxycillin, has been the subject of two studies reported here on bioavailability and tolerance. Eighteen subjects took part in a two-part crossover study to compare the bioavailability when taken fasting and with food. The bioavailability was shown to be unimpaired when taken with food. Forty-five healthy subjects took part in a series of crossover studies to compare the tolerance of ‘Augmentin’ taken fasting and with food. ‘Augmentin’ was also compared with cephalexin under the same conditions. The gastro-intestinal side effects reported in these volunteer studies, which are rare in clinical practice, were reduced when ‘Augmentin’ was taken with food.