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Amoxil vs Zithromax

Amoxicillin  ·  Azithromycin

Two of the most prescribed antibiotics, covering different bacteria over different course lengths — and why they are not interchangeable.

At a glance

AmoxilAmoxicillin
ZithromaxAzithromycin
Brand name
Amoxil
Zithromax
Drug class
Penicillin antibiotic
Macrolide antibiotic
Route
Oral
Not listed
Marketed by
GlaxoSmithKline
Pfizer
First FDA approval
18 Jan 1974
1 Nov 1991
US shortage
Not listed
Not in shortage

Key differences

What each one treats

AmoxilAmoxicillin

To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of Amoxicillin and other antibacterial drugs, Amoxicillin for Oral Suspension should be used only to treat infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may contribute to the empiric selection of therapy. Amoxicillin for Oral Suspension is indicated in the treatment of infections due to susceptible (ONLY β-lactamase–negative) isolates of the designated bacteria in the conditions listed below: 1.1 Infections of the ear, nose, and throat - due to Streptococcus species.(α- and β-hemolytic isolates only), Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus spp., or Haemophilus influen…

ZithromaxAzithromycin

ZITHROMAX (azithromycin) for injection is a macrolide antibacterial drug indicated for the treatment of patients with infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated microorganisms in the conditions listed below. ZITHROMAX is a macrolide antibacterial drug indicated for mild to moderate infections caused by designated, susceptible bacteria: • Community-acquired pneumonia in adults ( 1.1 ) • Pelvic inflammatory disease ( 1.2 ) To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of ZITHROMAX and other antibacterial drugs, ZITHROMAX should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. ( 1.3 ) 1.1 Community-Acquired Pneumonia due to Chlamydophila pneumoniae , Haemophilus influenzae , Legionella pneumophila , Moraxella catarrhalis , Mycoplasma pneumoniae , Staphylococcus aureu…

How each one works

AmoxilPenicillin antibiotic

A first-line antibiotic for many common bacterial infections.

ZithromaxMacrolide antibiotic

12.1 Mechanism of Action Azithromycin is a macrolide antibacterial drug [see Microbiology (12.4) ]

Read more

Amoxil profile Zithromax profile Antibiotics All comparisons
This is not medical advice, and not a recommendation of one drug over the other.

Which medicine is right for a given person depends on their diagnosis, other conditions, other medicines, kidney and liver function, pregnancy, and cost or reimbursement — none of which this page knows. Two drugs in the same class are not automatically interchangeable. Never start, stop or switch a prescription medicine on the basis of a web page; that decision belongs to you and your clinician or pharmacist.

Class and summary text is written by the Priya Life Science editorial team. Label, mechanism, route, manufacturer and approval data come from the U.S. FDA via the openFDA API; shortage status from the FDA Drug Shortage Database. Approvals, indications and brand names differ between the US, EU/Ireland (EMA/HPRA) and other regions — a drug approved in one may not be approved, or may carry a different name, in another.