Amoxicillin and Potassium Clavulanate: Uses, Side Effects and Top Brands in India (2026)

• Updated 5 October 2026
• Reviewed by Sudhanshu Singhal
• 17 min read
• 21 sources

Top amoxicillin + clavulanic acid brands in India at a glance

What is amoxicillin and potassium clavulanate?

Amoxicillin and potassium clavulanate combines two substances: amoxicillin, a penicillin-class antibacterial, and clavulanate potassium (clavulanic acid), a beta-lactamase inhibitor with no clinically useful antibacterial effect on its own.

Clavulanic acid is a beta-lactam substance related to the penicillins; it inactivates some beta-lactamase enzymes produced by bacteria, and so prevents those enzymes from inactivating amoxicillin. On its own, clavulanic acid does not have a clinically useful antibacterial effect.

The combination is also written as co-amoxiclav, amoxicillin clavulanic acid, or amoxycillin and potassium clavulanate tablets IP. Strength numbers in brand names simply decode the two parts.

In Indian listings the dry syrup and suspension strengths 228.5 and 457 are stated per 5 ml. The exact contents are printed on each pack.

What is it used for?

Amoxicillin and potassium clavulanate is used for bacterial infections only, and it has no effect on viral infections such as the common cold.

The US FDA label lists infections caused by beta-lactamase-producing bacteria in the lower respiratory tract, in acute bacterial sinusitis, in acute otitis media, in the skin and skin structure, and in the urinary tract. The label states that the combination should be used only for infections proven or strongly suspected to be bacterial.

The UK product label lists use in adults and children for acute bacterial sinusitis, acute otitis media, acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis, community-acquired pneumonia, cystitis, pyelonephritis, and skin and soft-tissue infections including cellulitis, animal bites and severe dental abscess, as well as bone and joint infections.

What ICMR says in India

The ICMR Treatment Guidelines for Antimicrobial Use in Common Syndromes 2019 name co-amoxiclav as the preferred drug for outpatient adult community-acquired pneumonia diagnosed by a doctor. The same guidelines state clearly that antimicrobial therapy is not indicated for viral upper respiratory infection, and that acute bronchitis is mostly viral, so antibiotics are not indicated even if the sputum is purulent.

Where a cough lasts longer than 14 days, the ICMR guidelines say to suspect pertussis and tuberculosis rather than reach for an antibiotic. The US FDA label repeats that antibacterial drugs do not treat viral infections such as the common cold, and CDC guidance on chest colds states that they are usually caused by a virus and antibiotics are not recommended.

Dose as stated in the labels

The dose of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid is decided by a doctor for each patient; what follows is only a summary of the regimens written in the approved labels and in the ICMR guidelines.

Adult regimens

• US FDA label, usual adult dose stated in the label (tablets): for mild to moderate infection, 500 mg/125 mg every 12 hours, or 250 mg/125 mg every 8 hours; for severe infection, 875 mg/125 mg every 12 hours, or 500 mg/125 mg every 8 hours. Tablets are only for patients weighing 40 kg or more.
• UK product label: adults and children of 40 kg and above take one 500 mg/125 mg dose three times a day, and treatment should not continue beyond 14 days without review.
• ICMR 2019 guideline: for outpatient adult community-acquired pneumonia, 625 mg three times a day or 1 g twice a day.

Children

Children are dosed by body weight on the amoxicillin component, and the doctor calculates the amount for each child. The FDA label gives paediatric amounts in the range of 25–45 mg/kg/day in two or three divided doses depending on the infection, and the UK label for the 625 tablet states 20/5 to 60/15 mg/kg/day. The twice-daily regimen was reported to cause less diarrhoea in children.

The FDA label says the tablets are only for patients of 40 kg or more. The UK label for the 625 tablet allows weight-based doses below 40 kg, but says children under 25 kg must not be given this tablet and that a suspension is preferred under 6 years of age.

How to take it

• Take the medicine at the start of a meal: the FDA label states that clavulanate is absorbed better and stomach upset is less at the beginning of a meal, and the UK label says to take it with a meal.
• Take it for as long as the doctor prescribes, and do not stop or change the course without the doctor's advice.

Side effects

Diarrhoea is the most common side effect of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid; a smaller number of patients report nausea, rash or vomiting, and a few reactions are serious and need urgent medical care.

Serious reactions

• Anaphylaxis and other severe allergic reactions.
• Severe skin reactions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, DRESS and acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis.
• Drug-induced enterocolitis syndrome.
• Liver problems, including cholestatic jaundice; deaths have been reported. The UK label notes that liver events are seen mostly in males and in elderly patients.
• Clostridioides difficile diarrhoea, which can appear more than two months after treatment has finished.
• Rash in infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever); use is avoided in this condition.
• Candida superinfection (thrush) during or after treatment.
• Prescribing an antibacterial without a bacterial infection increases the risk of drug-resistant bacteria.

Who should not take it, and interactions

People with a history of serious hypersensitivity to amoxicillin, clavulanate or any other beta-lactam (penicillin-type) antibiotic must not take this combination, and several commonly used medicines interact with it.

Contraindications

• Previous serious allergic reaction to amoxicillin, clavulanate or another beta-lactam antibacterial.
• Previous cholestatic jaundice or hepatic dysfunction caused by amoxicillin/clavulanate.
• The FDA label advises avoiding it in suspected infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever) because of the risk of rash.

Interactions to tell your doctor about

• Probenecid: not recommended with this combination.
• Allopurinol: increases the chance of skin rash.
• Oral anticoagulants such as warfarin: the INR can rise, so monitoring may be needed.
• Urine glucose tests: Clinitest, Benedict's and Fehling's solutions can give false positive results.
• Methotrexate: the UK label states that methotrexate toxicity may increase.
• Mycophenolate (mycophenolic acid): the UK label states that levels fall by about 50%.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The 2026 FDA label states that decades of data have not established a drug-associated risk of major birth defects, miscarriage or adverse maternal outcomes, although one study in preterm premature rupture of membranes suggested a possible risk of necrotising enterocolitis in newborns. The UK label advises avoiding use in pregnancy unless the physician considers it essential.

Amoxicillin passes into breast milk. The FDA label reports diarrhoea, irritability and rash in breastfed infants and advises monitoring; the UK label says use only after a benefit-risk assessment. Any decision in pregnancy or breastfeeding must be taken by the treating doctor.

Rules in India

In India amoxicillin and clavulanic acid is a Schedule H prescription medicine, it is listed in the National List of Essential Medicines 2022, and its retail price is capped by the NPPA.

Schedule H, prescription only

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945, antibiotics (Schedule H item 32) and clavulanic acid (item 117) are Schedule H drugs; the combination is not in Schedule H1. Rule 97 requires the Rx symbol and the printed warning: "Schedule H drug - Warning: To be sold by retail on the prescription of a Registered Medical Practitioner only". Never buy or use it without a prescription.

National List of Essential Medicines 2022

Section 6.2.1.2 of NLEM 2022 lists amoxicillin + clavulanic acid as tablet 500 mg + 125 mg, oral liquid 200 mg + 28.5 mg per 5 ml, dry syrup 125 mg + 31.25 mg per 5 ml, and powder for injection 500 mg + 100 mg and 1 g + 200 mg (the injections for secondary and tertiary level care).

NPPA ceiling prices from 1 April 2026

The ceiling prices fixed by the NPPA revision in S.O. 1575(E) dated 25 March 2026, exclusive of GST, are as follows.

WHO classification and the Red Line campaign

In the WHO AWaRe 2025 classification, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid is placed in the Access group, and the combination is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines 2025. The Union Health Ministry's Red Line campaign asks the public not to use medicines carrying a red vertical line on the pack, including antibiotics, unless a doctor has prescribed them.

Top brands in India

The ten brands below are listed by India's major online pharmacies. Augmentin is the No. 2 brand in the whole Indian market, and Clavam was No. 9 in March 2026.

• Augmentin 625 Duo (GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals): 625 Duo, 375, 1000 Duo, oral suspensions (200/28.5, 400/57 and ES 600/42.9 per 5 ml) and injections. Pharmarack PharmaTrac data for MAT August 2026 place Augmentin at No. 2 among all brands in the Indian pharmaceutical market at ₹957 crore.
• Clavam 625 (Alkem Laboratories): 625, 375, 1 g, dispersible tablets, dry syrups, drops and injections. Clavam is also in the top ten brands of the Indian market; Pharmarack data for MAT March 2026 showed rank 9 at ₹714 crore.
• Advent 625 (Cipla): 625, 1000, dry syrups (228.5 and 457), dispersible tablets, drops and injections.
• Amoxyclav 625 (Abbott): 625, 375, 875/125, suspensions and injection.
• Duet 625 (Lupin): 625, 250/125, 400/57 and 200/28.5 tablets, dry syrups.
• Mega-CV 625 (Aristo Pharmaceuticals): 625, 375, dry syrups, kid dispersible tablets, drops and injections.
• Megaclav 500/125 (Alembic Pharmaceuticals): 500/125, 250/125, kid tablet, dry syrups.
• Moxclav 625 (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries): 625, 375, 1 g, DS 457 and suspensions.
• Moxikind-CV 625 (Mankind Pharma): 625, 375, 1 g, kid tablet, dry syrups, drops and injection.
• Novamox CV 625 (Cipla): 625, 375, 1 g, dry syrups and drops.

The 625 tablet is a scheduled formulation, so its MRP cannot be above the NPPA ceiling of ₹18.74 per tablet plus GST. Prices and pack sizes vary between pharmacies and over time, so a buyer should confirm the current printed MRP on the pack.

The Vibcare amoxicillin + clavulanic acid range

Vibcare Pharma supplies amoxicillin and clavulanic acid in four brand families, one for each of our divisions: Moxivib CV (PRIMA), Yetomox CV (AUSPIN), Revmox CV (EVERMED) and Moxyhil CV (MEDANOR).

WFR means the pack is supplied with water for reconstitution. Together the four families cover tablets in 625, 625 Duo and 375 strengths, kid tablets, dry syrups in the two Indian liquid strengths, and a 1.2 g injection in the Moxivib CV range.

PCD franchise for amoxicillin + clavulanic acid

Vibcare Pharma appoints one PCD franchise partner per district, with monopoly rights confirmed in writing in the franchise agreement.

Vibcare Pharma Pvt Ltd, based in Panchkula, Haryana and incorporated in 2014, works through franchise partners district by district across 11 divisions. To start, a partner needs a wholesale drug licence from the State Drug Control Department, GST registration, a PAN and the basic firm documents.

If your district is still open, you can enquire for it through our franchise page. Trade rates for every product are shown on its product page.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

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