Metronidazole

METRONIDAZOLE- metronidazole injection, solution
West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp

To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of Metronidazole Injection, USP and other antibacterial drugs, Metronidazole Injection, USP should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by bacteria.

WARNING

Metronidazole has been shown to be carcinogenic in mice and rats (see Precautions). Its use, therefore, should be reserved for the conditions described in the Indications and Usage section below.

DESCRIPTION

Metronidazole Injection, USP, is a parenteral dosage form of the synthetic antibacterial agent 1-(ß-hydroxyethyl)-2-methyl-5- nitroimidazole.

Metronidazole chemical structure

Metronidazole Injection, USP, in 100 mL single dose plastic container, is a sterile, nonpyrogenic, iso-osmotic, buffered solution of 500 mg Metronidazole, USP, 790 mg Sodium Chloride, USP, 47.6 mg Anhydrous Disodium Hydrogen Phosphate, USP and 22.9 mg Citric Acid Monohydrate, USP. Metronidazole Injection, USP has an osmolarity of 310 mOsmol/L (calc) and a pH of 5.5 (4.5 to 7.0). Each container contains 14 mEq of sodium. The plastic container is fabricated from a specially formulated polyvinyl chloride plastic. Water can permeate from inside the container into the overwrap in amounts insufficient to affect the solution significantly. Solutions in contact with the plastic container can leach out certain of its chemical components in very small amounts within the expiration period, e.g., di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), up to 5 parts per million. However, the safety of the plastic has been confirmed in tests in animals according to USP biological tests for plastic containers.

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Metronidazole is a synthetic antibacterial compound. Disposition of metronidazole in the body is similar for both oral and intravenous dosage forms, with an average elimination half-life in healthy humans of eight hours.

The major route of elimination of metronidazole and its metabolites is via the urine (60-80% of the dose), with fecal excretion accounting for 6-15% of the dose. The metabolites that appear in the urine result primarily from side-chain oxidation [1-(ß-hydroxyethyl)-2-hydroxymethyl-5-nitroimidazole and 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole-1-yl-acetic acid] and glucuronide conjugation, with unchanged metronidazole accounting for approximately 20% of the total. Renal clearance of metronidazole is approximately 10 mL/min/1.73 m2.

Metronidazole is the major component appearing in the plasma, with lesser quantities of the 2-hydroxymethyl metabolite also being present. Less than 20% of the circulating metronidazole is bound to plasma proteins. Both the parent compound and the metabolite possess in vitro bactericidal activity against most strains of anaerobic bacteria.

Metronidazole appears in cerebrospinal fluid, saliva and breast milk in concentrations similar to those found in plasma. Bactericidal concentrations of metronidazole have also been detected in pus from hepatic abscesses.

Plasma concentrations of metronidazole are proportional to the administered dose. An eight-hour intravenous infusion of 100-4,000 mg of metronidazole in normal subjects showed a linear relationship between dose and peak plasma concentration.

In patients treated with intravenous metronidazole, using a dosage regimen of 15 mg/kg loading dose followed six hours later by 7.5 mg/kg every six hours; peak steady-state plasma concentrations of metronidazole averaged 25 mcg/mL with trough (minimum) concentrations averaging 18 mcg/mL.

Decreased renal function does not alter the single-dose pharmacokinetics of metronidazole. However, plasma clearance of metronidazole is decreased in patients with decreased liver function.

In one study newborn infants appeared to demonstrate diminished capacity to eliminate metronidazole. The elimination half-life, measured during the first three days of life, was inversely related to gestational age. In infants whose gestational ages were between 28 and 40 weeks, the corresponding elimination half-lives ranged from 109 to 22.5 hours.

Microbiology:

Metronidazole is active in vitro against most obligate anaerobes, but does not appear to possess any clinically relevant activity against facultative anaerobes or obligate aerobes. Against susceptible organisms, metronidazole is generally bactericidal at concentrations equal to or slightly higher than the minimal inhibitory concentrations. Metronidazole has been shown to have in vitro and clinical activity against the following organisms:

Anaerobic gram-negative bacilli, including:
Bacteroides species, including the Bacteroides fragilis group (B. fragilis, B. distasonis, B. ovatus, B. thetaiotaomicron, B. vulgatus)
Fusobacterium species

Anaerobic gram-positive bacilli, including:
Clostridium species and susceptible strains of Eubacterium

Anaerobic gram-positive cocci, including:
Peptococcus species
Peptostreptococcus species

Susceptibility Tests :

Bacteriologic studies should be performed to determine the causative organisms and their susceptibility to metronidazole; however, the rapid, routine susceptibility testing of individual isolates of anaerobic bacteria is not always practical, and therapy may be started while awaiting these results.

Quantitative methods give the most accurate estimates of susceptibility to antibacterial drugs. A standardized agar dilution method and a broth microdilution method are recommended1.

Control strains are recommended for standardized susceptibility testing. Each time the test is performed, one or more of the following strains should be included: Eubacterium lentum ATCC 43055, Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285, and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron ATCC 29741. The mode metronidazole MICs for those three strains are reported to be 0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mcg/mL, respectively.

A clinical laboratory test is considered under acceptable control if the results of the control strains are within one doubling dilution of the mode MICs reported for metronidazole.

A bacterial isolate may be considered susceptible if the MIC value for metronidazole is not more than 16 mcg/mL. An organism is considered resistant if the MIC is greater than 16 mcg/mL. A report of “resistant” from the laboratory indicates that the infecting organism is not likely to respond to therapy.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Treatment of Anaerobic Infections

Metronidazole Injection, USP is indicated in the treatment of serious infections caused by susceptible anaerobic bacteria. Indicated surgical procedures should be performed in conjunction with Metronidazole Injection, USP therapy. In a mixed aerobic and anaerobic infection, antibiotics appropriate for the treatment of the aerobic infection should be used in addition to Metronidazole Injection, USP.

Metronidazole Injection, USP is effective in Bacteroides fragilis infections resistant to clindamycin, chloramphenicol and penicillin.

Intra-Abdominal Infections , including peritonitis, intra-abdominal abscess and liver abscess, caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group (B. fragilis, B. distasonis, B. ovatus, B. thetaiotaomicron, B. vulgatus), Clostridium species, Eubacterium species, Peptococcus species and Peptostreptococcus species.

Skin and Skin Structure Infections caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group, Clostridium species, Peptococcus species, Peptostreptococcus species and Fusobacterium species.

Gynecologic Infections , including endometritis, endomyometritis, tubo-ovarian abscess and postsurgical vaginal cuff infection, caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group, Clostridium species, Peptostreptococcus species and Fusobacterium species.

Bacterial Septicemia caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group and Clostridium species.

Bone and Joint Infections , as adjunctive therapy, caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Infections , including meningitis and brain abscess, caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group.

Lower Respiratory Tract Infections , including pneumonia, empyema and lung abscess, caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group.

Endocarditis caused by Bacteroides species including the B. fragilis group.

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