Name
- Phenoxymethylpenicillin.
Class of drug
- Penicillin antibiotic.
Uses
Action
- Penicillin-V is a beta-lactamase-susceptible, beta-lactam antibiotic.
- It binds to penicillin-binding proteins near bacterial cell walls, decreasing bacterial cell wall strength and rigidity and affecting cell division, growth and septum formation.
- It is bactericidal.
- As mammalian cells lack a cell wall the beta-lactam antibiotics are safe.
Indications
- Penicillin V is orally administered as it is more resistant to acid degradation than penicillin G and is better absorbed.
- As penicillin V has a narrow spectrum of activity, its use is limited to the treatment of infections caused by Streptococcusspp
, Clostridiumspp , Borrelia borgderferi
, and fusospirochetes. - Serious infections should be treated with parenteral penicillin G as the absorption of penicillin V is unpredictable. Penicillin V may be used later in the course of therapy.
- When used for 'blind' therapy of undiagnosed serious infections penicillins may be administered with gentamicin and/or metronidazole .
