Composition
Tab/Cap 100 mg: Nitrofurantoin 100 mg.
Indications & Dosage
Acute uncomplicated urinary-tract infections: Adult: 50 mg 4 times a day for 3-7 days, to be taken with food Children 3 months-11 yrs: 750 mcg/kg 4 times a day for 3-7 days; 12-17 years: 50 mg 4 times a day for 3-7 days. Severe chronic recurrent urinary-tract infections: Adult: 100 mg 4 times a day for 7 days, to be taken with food, reduce dose or discontinue treatment if severe nausea occurs. Children 12-17 years: 100 mg 4 times a day for 3-7 days. Prophylaxis of urinary-tract infection (considered for recurrent infection, significant urinary-tract anomalies, or significant kidney damage): Adult: 50-100 mg once daily, dose to be taken at night. Children 3 months-11 yrs: 1 mg/kg once daily, to be taken at night; 12-17 yrs: 50-100 mg once daily, to be taken at night Genito-urinary surgical prophylaxis: Adult: 100 mg twice daily on day of procedure and for 3 days afterwards.
Contraindications
Acute porphyrias, G6PD Deficiency, infants less than 3 months old
Precautions
Anaemia, diabetes mellitus, electrolyte imbalance, folate deficiency, pulmonary disease, susceptibility to peripheral neuropathy, urine may be coloured yellow or brown, vitamin B deficiency. Use with caution in hepatic impairment; cholestatic jaundice and chronic active hepatitis reported. Caution in renal impairment; risk of peripheral neuropathy; antibacterial efficacy depends on renal secretion of the drug into urinary tract.
Interactions
Oral magnesium salts, nalidixic acid, probenecid, sulfinpyrazone.
Pregnancy
Avoid at term, may produce neonatal haemolysis.
Lactation
Avoid; small amounts in milk but may be used to produce haemolysis
Side Effects
Acute pulmonary reactions, anaphylaxis, angioedema, anorexia, chronic pulmonary reactions (pulmonary fibrosis reported; possible association with lupus erythematosus-like syndrome), diarrhoea, hypersensitivity reactions, nausea, peripheral neuropathy, pruritus, rash, sialadenitis, urticaria, vomiting. Rare: Agranulocytosis, aplastic anaemia, arthralgia, benign intracranial hypertension, blood disorders, cholestatic jaundice, erythema multiforme, exfoliativedermatitis, hepatitis,pancreatitis, thrombocytopenia, transient alopecia