Metronidazole

Infections metronidazole clears

Metronidazole is an antibiotic aimed at germs that live without oxygen. That covers the anaerobic bacteria behind dental abscesses, infected wounds and many infections inside the abdomen and pelvis, and also single-celled parasites (protozoa) such as the ones that cause trichomoniasis, giardiasis and amoebiasis. Bacterial vaginosis, where the mix of bacteria in the vagina shifts out of balance, is another common reason it is taken. Metronidazole tablets and Flagyl are the two versions here.

Flagyl or plain metronidazole?

The two listings hold the same medicine. Flagyl is the brand name most people know it by, and the other listing carries the ingredient name on the pack. Both come in 200mg and 400mg, so the difference you will see is the name on the box and the pack sizes. Two strengths also let a daily amount be made up from whole tablets. Both sit in the antibiotics range.

How it works and how to take it

The tablet does nothing until it gets inside a target organism. There, the oxygen-poor chemistry of an anaerobic cell converts metronidazole into reactive fragments that attack its DNA, so the organism can no longer multiply and the infection fades; human cells do not perform that conversion. Swallow the tablets whole with water. If a course runs over several days, taking the doses at roughly the same times keeps the amount in your body steady. How long treatment lasts depends on what is being treated — anywhere from a single dose to a week or two of tablets — and it pays to finish the whole course even after you feel better, because a partial course lets the infection return.

Side effects to expect

The one people mention most is a metallic taste in the mouth. Nausea, dry mouth, headache, loss of appetite and loose stools are common as well. Urine can turn dark or reddish-brown, which is simply the medicine leaving the body. Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet can develop during longer courses. A rash with swelling of the face, lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing, is an urgent allergic reaction.

Alcohol, other medicines and storage

Alcohol and metronidazole do not mix: flushing, vomiting and a racing heartbeat are the usual result. Metronidazole also makes blood thinners such as warfarin stronger, and it interacts with lithium and with some medicines used for seizures. Store the tablets in their blister or bottle, somewhere cool and dry and out of direct sun.