• Streptococcal pharyngitis:
    • Adults: PO 500mg BD OR 250mg QID *10/7
    • Children: PO 250mg BD/TDS *10 days
  • Actinomycosis:
    • Mild: PO 2-4g/day divided QID *8/52
    • Surgical: PO 2-4g/day divided QID *6-12 months
  • Periodontal infections:
    • PO 250-500mg QID *5-7 days
  • Prophylaxis of recurrent rheumatic fever:
    • Adults: PO 250mg BD
    • Children: PO 125-250mg BD
  • Prosthetic joint infection (Off-label):
    • PO 500mg QID/BD
  • Anthrax (Off-label):
    • Cutaneous:
      • Adults: PO 500mg QID *7-10 days
      • Neonates >32 wk gestation: PO 50-75mg/kg/day divided BD/QID *7-10 days
      • ≥1 month: PO 50-75mg/kg/day divided TDS/QID *7-10 days
      • Not 1st line
    • Post-exposure prophylaxis:
      • Adults: PO 500mg QID *2/12
      • Neonates >32 wk gestation: PO 50-75mg/kg/day divided BD/QID *2/12
      • ≥1 month: PO 50-75mg/kg/day divided TDS/QID *7-10 days
        • Not 1st line
        • Combined with anthrax vaccine
        • May give *42/7 or *14/7 after last vaccine dose in immunocompetent patients 18-65 years if anthrax vaccine regimen completed
  • Community-acquired bacterial pneumonia (Off-label):
    • >3 months: PO 50-75mg/kg/day divided TDS/QID *7-10 days
  • Prophylaxis of pneumococcal infection in sickle cell disease patients:
    • <3 years: PO 125mg BD
    • 3-5 years: PO 250mg BD

Tablet: 250mg

Suspension: 125mg/5mL

Taken 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals

Penicillin

It binds to peptidoglycan, inhibiting cell wall synthesis

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Epigastric discomfort
  • Diarrhea
  • Urticaria
  • Fever
  • Rash
  • Eosinophilia
  • Black hairy tongue
  • Hypersensitivity to penicillins, cephalosporins or imipenem

None restricted

                          Drug Status

Availability Prescription or OTC by Pharmacist
Pregnancy Category B; Can be used
Breastfeeding Safe to use
Schedule Not controlled
BRAND NAME STRENGTH FORMULATION PACK SIZE MANUFACTURER DISTRIBUTOR
Elypen 250mg Tablet 100’s, 1000’s Elys Chemicals Elys Chemicals
Laepen V 250mg Tablet 100’s Laboratory & Allied Laboratory & Allied
Medillin-V 250mg Tablet 100’s Medisel Kenya Medisel Kenya
Unipen 250mg Tablet 100’s, 1000’s Regal Pharma Regal Pharma
Unipen Dry 250mg Suspension 60mL, 100mL Regal Pharma Regal Pharma