Augmentin is an antibiotic, whose active principle is amoxicillin, it is a derivative of penicillin, used to treat both serious and mild infections. It is approved for humans and animals, being administered orally, intramuscularly or intravenously, although the last two are not entirely safe, since they can cause deafness or kidney problems. It eradicates many types of bacteria, both Gram-positive and Gram-negative. Its half-life is estimated between 60-75 minutes. In addition to this drug, there are similar ones under various trademarks, which may vary from country to country.
Its mass production occurred in 1972 and it became quite popular in the fight against infections that affect open or internal wounds, which could generate much greater consequences than the very existence of bacterial contamination. Its effect is not entirely stable when it is against beta lactamases, although this can be avoided with the addition of other ingredients effective against this type of bacteria. When allergic reactions exist, they almost always degenerate into vomiting or nausea, fever, or diarrhea.
Its mechanism of action is based on the impediment of the growth of the cell walls of the microorganism, that is, it annihilates it. This occurs through the disintegration of linear peptidoglycane chains. Most of the time it is quite effective, since around 80% is absorbed in the small intestine, a fact that is not modified by the fact of being fasting or having eaten some foods. Some streptococci have created a series of defenses against the action of this drug, so they cannot be eliminated.
