The key difference between potassium clavulanate and clavulanic acid is that potassium clavulanate is the most common derivative of clavulanic acid, which in combination with penicillin drugs, is useful in treating bacterial infections, whereas clavulanic acid is a beta-lactam drug.
Potassium clavulanate is a medication that is useful in treating bacterial infections, while clavulanic acid is a medication that can be categorized as a beta-lactam drug.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Potassium Clavulanate
3. What is Clavulanic Acid
4. Potassium Clavulanate vs Clavulanic Acid in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Potassium Clavulanate vs Clavulanic Acid
What is Potassium Clavulanate?
Potassium clavulanate is a medication that is useful in treating bacterial infections. This medication can work by blocking the enzyme beta-lactamase. This enzyme is usually produced by bacteria in order to inactivate antibiotics. Therefore, potassium clavulanate medication is important and helpful in reducing the resistance and enhancement of the activity of antibiotics against bacteria.
Typically, this medication is prescribed as a combination of potassium clavulanate and amoxicillin or potassium clavulanate and ticarcillin. Therefore, this combined medication can prevent the development of the resistance of the bacteria against the drug, and it can also enhance the therapeutic antibacterial effect of the co-administration of the drug.
Figure 01: Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium Pills
However, there are some considerations regarding potassium clavulanate; we should not take it if we have kidney diseases, any serious allergic reactions, if pregnant, or planning to conceive soon. Since it is not an over-the-counter drug, we need to consult a doctor before taking this medicine. The most common side effects of potassium clavulanate include vomiting, nausea, and stomach discomfort.
In addition, there are interactions between potassium clavulanate and alcohol, some food items, and diseases. Therefore, we need to consult a doctor before consuming alcohol while taking this medicine. Moreover, we need to take this medicine with food because the food can reduce any gastric irritations.
What is Clavulanic Acid?
Clavulanic acid is a medication that can be categorized as a beta-lactam drug. The mechanism of action of this drug includes beta-lactamase inhibition. Clavulanic acid is not very effective by itself as an antibiotic. But if we combine it with an antibiotic, which comes from the penicillin group, it has the ability to overcome the antibiotic resistance in bacteria secreting beta-lactamase. Otherwise, most of the penicillin drugs are inactivated by this resistance.
Figure 02: The Chemical Structure of Clavulanic Acid
The most common combination of clavulanic acid includes potassium clavulanic combination with amoxicillin or ticarcillin. Clavulanic acid was patented as a drug in 1974. The routes of administration include oral administration and IV route. It is a well-absorbed drug, and its metabolism is hepatic. The elimination half-life of this drug is about 1 hour, and the excretion occurs through the renal route.
What is the Difference Between Potassium Clavulanate and Clavulanic Acid?
Potassium clavulanate is a medication that is useful in treating bacterial infections. Clavulanic acid is a medication that can be categorized as a beta-lactam drug. Therefore, the key difference between potassium clavulanate and clavulanic acid is that potassium clavulanate is the most common derivative of clavulanic acid is useful in treating bacterial infections when used in combination with penicillin drugs, whereas clavulanic acid is a beta-lactam drug.
The following table summarizes the difference between potassium clavulanate and clavulanic acid for side by side comparison.
Summary – Potassium Clavulanate vs Clavulanic Acid
Clavulanic acid is a medication that can be categorized as a beta-lactam drug. Potassium clavulanate is a derivative of clavulanic acid. Therefore, the key difference between potassium clavulanate and clavulanic acid is that potassium clavulanate is the most common derivative of clavulanic acid is useful in treating bacterial infections when used in combination with penicillin drugs, whereas clavulanic acid is a beta-lactam drug.
Reference:
1. “NLM PubChem CID Index.” Vitamin D Handbook, pp. 239–244., doi:10.1002/9780470238165.indsp1.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium, oval white pill, 3 | 2, fingers, close up, blue background” By Wonderlane (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2. “Clavulanic acid” By Fvasconcellos (talk · contribs) – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia