Adult: 250-500 mg 8 hrly. Max: 4 g daily. Child: >1 mth 20-40 mg/kg daily in 2 or 3 divided doses. Max: 0.75-1.5 g daily.
Administration
May be taken with or without food.
Reconstitution
Add the amount of water specified on the container in 2 portions to provide a susp containing 125, 187, 250 or 375 mg per 5 mL. Shake the bottle after each addition.
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to cefaclor or to other cephalosporins.
Special Precautions
Hypersensitivity to penicillins. History of GI disease. Renal impairment. Pregnancy and lactation.
Adverse Reactions
GI effects (e.g. diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting), headache, rash. Rarely, serum sickness-like reactions consisting of erythema multiforme or maculopapular pruritic rash or urticaria accompanied by arthritis, arthralgia, irritability and fever. Potentially Fatal: Severe hypersensitivity reactions (e.g. Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis and anaphylaxis), pseudomembranous colitis.
May enhance the nephrotoxic effect of aminoglycosides. May diminish the therapeutic effect of BCG, typhoid vaccine and Na picosulfate. Concomitant use w/ warfarin may increase prothrombin time. Probenecid inhibits renal excretion of cefaclor.
Food Interaction
Food may delay the rate but does not affect the extent of absorption.
Lab Interference
False-positive reaction in urinary glucose test using Benedict's or Fehling's soln or copper sulfate test tablets. Positive direct Coombs' test.
Action
Description: Cefaclor inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to 1 or more of the penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) which in turn inhibit the final transpeptidation step of peptidoglycan synthesis in bacterial cell walls, thus inhibiting cell wall biosynthesis and arresting cell wall assembly resulting in bacterial cell death. Pharmacokinetics: Absorption: Well absorbed from the GI tract. Food may delay the rate but does not affect the extent of absorption. Time to peak plasma concentration: 0.5-1 hr. Distribution: Widely distributed. Crosses the placenta and enters breast milk. Plasma protein binding: Approx 25%. Excretion: Via urine (up to 85%, as unchanged drug). Plasma half-life: 0.5-1 hr.
Chemical Structure
Cefaclor Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Database. Cefaclor, CID=51039, https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Cefaclor (accessed on Jan. 21, 2020)
Storage
Store between 20-25°C. Protect from moisture. Reconstituted powd for susp: Store between 2-8°C.
J01DC04 - cefaclor ; Belongs to the class of second-generation cephalosporins. Used in the systemic treatment of infections.
References
Anon. Cefaclor. Lexicomp Online. Hudson, Ohio. Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. https://online.lexi.com. Accessed 10/10/2014.Buckingham R (ed). Cefaclor. Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference [online]. London. Pharmaceutical Press. https://www.medicinescomplete.com. Accessed 10/10/2014.Cefaclor Capsule (Carlsbad Technology, Inc). DailyMed. Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/. Accessed 10/10/2014.Cefaclor Suspension (Carlsbad Technology Inc). DailyMed. Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/. Accessed 10/10/2014.McEvoy GK, Snow EK, Miller J et al (eds). Cefaclor. AHFS Drug Information (AHFS DI) [online]. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). https://www.medicinescomplete.com. Accessed 10/10/2014.