Emery Haley, PhD, Scientific Writing Specialist
Amoxicillin/Clavulanate
Find the Latest FDA-Approved Labelling Information Here: Drugs@FDA Online Database
Administrative Routes
Oral (PO)
Other Names
Amoxicillin/Clavulanic Acid; Augmentin; Augmentin XR
Bacteriostatic or Bactericidal
Bactericidal [1]
Antibiotic Class
Penicillin/Beta-lactamase Inhibitor Combination
Mechanisms of Action
This antibiotic leverages dual mechanisms of action.
Amoxicillin, a beta-lactam antibiotic, binds to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) on bacterial cell walls. PBPs are essential for the formation of peptidoglycan, which gives the bacterial wall strength and integrity. Binding of amoxicillin to PBPs leads to failure of peptidoglycan cell wall synthesis, causing bacterial cell death.
Some bacteria develop resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, like amoxicillin, by producing enzymes, called beta-lactamases, that degrade the antibiotic. Clavulanate (clavulanic acid) helps preserve the activity of beta-lactam antibiotics by inhibiting these enzymes and allowing amoxicillin to then bind to PBPs and cause bacterial cell wall degradation.
WHO AWaRe Classification
Access [2]
Empiric Use Recommendations
Yes (lower UTI/cystitis) [World Health Organization (WHO)] [3]
Yes (alternative for complicated UTI without sepsis) [Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)] [4]
Indication(s) Relevant to UTI
On label for UTI caused by β-lactamase–producing strains of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella species, and Enterobacter species.
Checkmarks
CLSI and/or FDA documents support the efficacy of this antibiotic against the following organisms from the Guidance® UTI test: Aerococcus urinae, Citrobacter koseri, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis
Published primary literature supports the efficacy of this antibiotic against the following organisms from the Guidance® UTI test: Alloscardovia omnicolens [5], and Actinotignum schaalii [6-8]