Amoxil

Pronunciation: uh-MOK-sih-sil-in.

Generic name
amoxicillin
Brand names
Amoxil (United States, European Union, Australia)
Drug class
Penicillin-class antibacterial (aminopenicillin)
Form
Capsule, chewable tablet, or powder for oral suspension
Route
Oral (also available as an injection in some markets for severe infections)
Legal status
Prescription-only

Availability and supply rules vary by country

Trade names by country: United States · United Kingdom · Canada · Australia · New Zealand

Australia: Amoxil (5) · Full directory

What amoxicillin is and how it works

Amoxicillin (Amoxil) is a prescription-only penicillin-class antibiotic used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections, including ear, nose, throat, urinary tract, skin, and lower respiratory tract infections. It is also used together with other medicines to help clear H. pylori stomach infections. (1)

Take amoxicillin exactly as your prescriber directs, and complete the full course they have prescribed, even if you start feeling better before it is finished. If you are thinking about stopping early for any reason, discuss it with your prescriber first, since stopping an antibiotic course early can allow the infection to come back or contribute to antibiotic resistance.

Mechanism of action: how amoxicillin works

Amoxicillin is a semisynthetic aminopenicillin that inhibits bacterial cell-wall synthesis by binding penicillin-binding proteins, leading to bacterial cell lysis and death. (1)

What amoxicillin is used for

Bacterial infections of the ear, nose, throat, urinary tract, skin, and lower respiratory tract

Used to treat infections caused by bacteria susceptible to amoxicillin in these areas of the body. Your prescriber selects amoxicillin based on the likely or confirmed bacteria causing your infection. (1)

H. pylori eradication and duodenal ulcer disease

Used in combination with other medicines (such as clarithromycin and a proton-pump inhibitor) as part of a combination regimen to help clear Helicobacter pylori infection linked to duodenal ulcers. (1)

Before taking amoxicillin

Do not take / not appropriate for

  • Do not take amoxicillin if you have had a serious allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis or a severe skin reaction) to amoxicillin or any other penicillin or cephalosporin-type antibiotic. (all countries) (1)

Tell your clinician about

  • Any previous allergic reaction to penicillin, cephalosporins, or any other antibiotic.
  • Any history of severe diarrhea or colitis after taking an antibiotic in the past.
  • Any kidney problems, which can affect how amoxicillin is dosed.
  • Whether you are taking oral contraceptives, anticoagulants (blood thinners), allopurinol, or probenecid.
  • Pregnancy, plans for pregnancy, or breastfeeding.
(1)

How to take amoxicillin

  • Take amoxicillin at evenly spaced intervals as prescribed, with or without food, to keep a steady level of medicine in your body.
  • Complete the full course your prescriber has given you, even if you feel better after a few days -- talk to your prescriber before making any change to your course, including stopping early.
  • For streptococcal infections, a full course of at least 10 days is generally needed to reduce the risk of complications, even though symptoms often improve sooner.
  • If you are taking amoxicillin as part of H. pylori combination therapy, take every medicine in the combination exactly as prescribed for the full course.
(1)

Procedures and treatment changes

Tell the treating team before surgery, procedures, or any medicine change. Do not alter treatment without the responsible clinician. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Missed dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it is nearly time for your next dose, in which case skip the missed dose and continue your regular schedule. Do not double your next dose to make up for a missed one. Contact your prescriber or pharmacist if you are unsure.

Overdose

Seek emergency medical help or contact a poison control center if an overdose is suspected. Reported effects of amoxicillin overdose include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and, rarely, kidney problems from crystal formation. (1)

Side effects

Side effects and their urgency vary; report severe, persistent, or concerning symptoms.

Diarrhea.

What to notice: Diarrhea.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Nausea and vomiting.

What to notice: Nausea and vomiting.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Skin rash.

What to notice: Skin rash.

What to do: Discuss persistent or troublesome symptoms with the treating clinician or pharmacist. (1)

Serious warnings

Signs of a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) — emergency

Symptoms: Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat; difficulty breathing; widespread rash or hives; feeling faint.

Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately. Serious, occasionally fatal allergic reactions have been reported with penicillin antibiotics, including after oral dosing, not only injections. (1)

Severe or persistent diarrhea, including diarrhea starting after finishing the course (C. difficile-associated diarrhea) — high caution

Symptoms: Watery or bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramping, and fever, which can appear even more than two months after finishing amoxicillin.

Action: Contact your prescriber promptly if this occurs, even after you have finished the course; do not take anti-diarrheal medicine without checking with your prescriber first, as this can worsen some causes of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. (1)

Severe skin reactions — emergency

Symptoms: Widespread blistering or peeling skin, or painful sores in the mouth, eyes, or genitals.

Action: Seek emergency medical help immediately; these are rare but serious reactions that need urgent assessment. (1)

Interactions

  • Probenecid can raise and prolong amoxicillin levels in the blood; your prescriber may take this into account when planning treatment. (1)
  • Oral anticoagulants (blood thinners such as warfarin): amoxicillin may increase bleeding risk and INR; closer monitoring may be needed. (1)
  • Allopurinol taken together with amoxicillin increases the chance of skin rash. (1)
  • Estrogen-containing oral contraceptives may be less effective during amoxicillin treatment; discuss additional contraceptive precautions with your prescriber. (1)

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, kidney/liver function, age

Pregnancy

Animal studies have not shown harm to the fetus; human data are more limited. Amoxicillin is commonly used in pregnancy when a penicillin antibiotic is clinically needed -- discuss with your prescriber. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Breastfeeding

Amoxicillin passes into breast milk in small amounts. Watch a breastfed infant for diarrhea or rash and mention this to your prescriber or the infant's clinician if it occurs. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Children

Widely used in children from early infancy, with weight-based dosing set by a prescriber; infants 12 weeks or younger have a lower recommended maximum dose due to immature kidney function. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Elderly

No specific dose adjustment based on age alone is described in the source reviewed, beyond the general need to consider kidney function. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Hepatic_impairment

Not specifically detailed in the source reviewed; amoxicillin is primarily cleared by the kidneys. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Renal_impairment

Dosing may need adjustment in significant kidney impairment; tell your prescriber about any kidney problems. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Monitoring

Before starting

  • Allergy history for penicillins, cephalosporins, and other antibiotics
  • Kidney function where relevant

During treatment

  • Watch for signs of allergic reaction, especially with the first few doses.
  • Watch for diarrhea during and after the course, since C. difficile-associated diarrhea can appear weeks after stopping.
  • Complete the full prescribed course; your prescriber will review response and may reassess if symptoms do not improve as expected.
(1)

Storage

Store capsules/tablets at 20-25°C (68-77°F). Store dry powder for oral suspension at room temperature; once mixed, refrigerate and discard any unused suspension after 14 days.

Study the drug class: Penicillins

Professional information

Clinician-facing context only, sourced from the current US FDA prescribing information; verify against the current full label before prescribing. Health Canada's product monograph carries a 'Serious Warnings and Precautions' box (a Canadian labeling convention distinct from a US boxed warning) on hypersensitivity/anaphylaxis risk.

United States

Indication: Susceptible bacterial infections (ENT, urinary tract, skin, lower respiratory tract); H. pylori eradication

Dose summary: Adults: 250-500 mg q8h or 500 mg q12h for mild/moderate infections; 500-875 mg q8-12h for more severe infections. Pediatric (>3 months): 20-45 mg/kg/day divided q8-12h. Neonates/infants ≤12 weeks: lower maximum due to immature renal function. H. pylori triple therapy: 1 g twice daily with clarithromycin and a PPI for 14 days.

Renal context: Renal impairment reduces amoxicillin clearance; dose or interval adjustment may be needed in significant impairment per current local guidance. (1)

Mechanism of action

Hepatic guidance

Not specifically detailed in the source reviewed; amoxicillin is primarily renally cleared.

Overdose note

Reported overdose effects include gastrointestinal disturbance (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) and, rarely, crystalluria-related renal effects; manage supportively per local poison-control guidance. (1)

Frequently asked questions

Can I stop taking amoxicillin once I feel better?

Complete the full course exactly as your prescriber directed, even if you feel better before it is finished. If you are thinking about stopping early for any reason, such as side effects, discuss it with your prescriber first -- stopping early can allow the infection to return and can contribute to antibiotic resistance. (1)

Is Amoxil available in the US, UK, Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand?

Yes, amoxicillin is approved and available in all of these regions. It is sold as Amoxil in the US, EU, and Australia; in the UK, Canada, and New Zealand it is typically prescribed and dispensed under its generic name, amoxicillin. (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)

Can I take amoxicillin if I am allergic to penicillin?

No. Amoxicillin is a penicillin-class antibiotic and is contraindicated if you have had a serious allergic reaction to any penicillin or cephalosporin-type antibiotic. Tell your prescriber about any past antibiotic reactions before starting. (1)

What is the mechanism of action of amoxicillin?

Amoxicillin is a semisynthetic aminopenicillin that inhibits bacterial cell-wall synthesis by binding penicillin-binding proteins, leading to bacterial cell lysis and death. (1)

What is the generic name of Amoxil?

The generic name is amoxicillin. It is sold under brand names including Amoxil (United States, European Union, Australia). (1)

What class of drug is amoxicillin?

Amoxil is classed as: Penicillin-class antibacterial (aminopenicillin). (1)

References

  1. AMOXIL (amoxicillin) capsules / tablets / powder for oral suspension -- full prescribing informationU.S. Food and Drug Administration / DailyMed (NIH), full prescribing information, GSK (Amoxil brand + generic amoxicillin labels) · United States · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 1
  2. Amoxil and associated names (amoxicillin) -- EMA referral outcome / list of nationally authorised medicinal productsEuropean Medicines Agency (EMA) -- Amoxil and associated names are nationally authorised across EU member states via national procedures (as is typical for older antibiotics) · European Union · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 2
  3. Amoxicillin 250 mg / 500 mg Capsules -- Summary of Product Characteristicselectronic medicines compendium (emc), United Kingdom -- generic amoxicillin capsules (the branded 'Amoxil' name is not the standard UK market brand; amoxicillin is prescribed and dispensed generically in the UK) · United Kingdom · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 3
  4. Amoxicillin Product Monograph (including a Serious Warnings and Precautions box)Health Canada product monograph · Canada · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 4
  5. Amoxil -- ARTG registrationTherapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia · Australia · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 5
  6. New Zealand Data Sheets -- amoxicillin capsules/suspension/injection (multiple brands)Medsafe (New Zealand regulator) -- generic amoxicillin data sheets (Ranmoxy, Alphamox, Amoxycillin Sandoz, Miro-Amoxicillin, Ibiamox); the 'Amoxil' brand specifically was not identified as the current NZ market brand · New Zealand · accessed 2026-07-29 · source 6

Brand names by country

Single-ingredient amoxicillin names are shown separately by country. Product availability, strengths, and supply rules can change; combination products are not included here.

Priority countries

United States

  • Amoxil400 mg/5mL · directrx

United Kingdom

  • Amoxicillin (generic; distinct 'Amoxil' brand not confirmed as the current UK market brand) (3)MHRA licensed emc smpc confirmed · 250 mg, 500 mg capsules, oral suspension, injection · various UK generic manufacturers

Canada

  • NOVAMOXIN
  • AMOX
  • AMOX S 250 SUS
  • AMOX S 125 SUS
  • AMOXICILLIN SUGAR-REDUCED
  • APO-AMOXI SUGAR FREE
  • APO-AMOXI
  • APO-AMOXI PWR FOR SUSP
  • PRO AMOX-500
  • PRO-AMOX-250 ORL SUS

Australia

  • Amoxil (5)TGA ARTG registered confirmed · 250 mg, 500 mg capsules, syrup, 1 g injection, 3 g sachet · Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd

New Zealand

  • Amoxicillin (generic; multiple brands including Ranmoxy, Alphamox, Amoxycillin Sandoz) (6)Medsafe approved confirmed · 250 mg, 500 mg capsules, oral suspension · various Medsafe-approved manufacturers
View brands in additional countries.

European Union

Amoxil (2)

This page provides general reference information about amoxicillin (Amoxil) and is not a substitute for advice from the prescriber managing your treatment. All dosing and treatment decisions should be made with your prescriber.

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