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Home » Antibiotics » Dalacin C
Dalacin C
Brand Names: Dalacin C
Generic name: Clindamycin hydrochlorid
Manufacturer: Pfizer
How does it work?
Dalacin capsules contain the active ingredient clindamycin hydrochloride, which is an antibiotic medicine.
Clindamycin treats bacterial infections by killing the bacteria causing the infection. It does this by preventing the bacteria from forming normal cell walls. The cell walls of bacteria protect the bacterial cells and are essential for their survival. When these cell walls are not formed correctly it causes them to disintegrate and the bacteria therefore die. This inhibits the ability of the bacteria to grow and therefore stops the spread of the infection.
Clindamycin kills a wide variety of bacteria that are known collectively as anaerobic bacteria. This means that they do not need oxygen to grow and multiply. Anaerobic bacteria can cause infections in areas of the body such as the bones, gut, pelvic cavity and gums. Clindamycin is used to treat these types of infections, as well as leg ulcers and pressure sores that are infected with anaerobic bacteria.
Clindamycin also has a similar range of antibacterial activity to the penicillins and is useful as an alternative antibiotic in those people who are allergic to penicillins or for infections caused by bacteria called staphylococci that have become resistant to penicillin.
However, it is not a widely used antibiotic because the risk of developing antibiotic-associated colitis (inflammation of the colon) is greater with clindamycin compared to other antibiotics. This usually results in severe diarrhoea and clindamycin should be stoppped immediately if this occurs.
Dalacin capsules are usually used for serious infections after treatment with other antibiotics, such as penicillin or metronidazole has not been effective.
What is it used for?
Bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissue, such as infected ulcers, mouth abscesses, cellulitis.
• Bacterial infections of bone (osteomyelitis).
• Bacterial infections of joints.
• Bacterial infections of the intestine (enteritis).
• Preventing infection of the heart (bacterial endocarditis) during medical or dental procedures in people with heart valve defects or artificial heart valves.
Warning!
• Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is important that you finish the prescribed course of this antibiotic medicine, even if you feel better or it seems the infection has cleared up. Stopping the course early increases the chance that the infection will come back and that the bacteria will grow resistant to the antibiotic.
• This medicine can sometimes cause inflammation of the bowel (colitis). For this reason, if you get diarrhoea either during or after taking this medicine, particularly if it becomes severe or persistent, or contains blood or mucus, you should consult your doctor immediately.
• If you are having long-term treatment with this medicine your doctor may want you to have regular blood tests to monitor your kidney and liver function.
• Dalacin capsules contain lactose and are not suitable for people with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, Lapp lactose deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.
Not to be used in
• Allergy to the antibiotic lincomycin.
• People with a history of inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
• History of inflammation of the large intestine due to antibioitc treatment (antibiotic-associated colitis).
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
• The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy has not been established. It is not recommended for use in pregnancy unless considered essential by your doctor. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
• This medicine passes into breast milk in small amounts. The effect of this on the breastfed baby is unknown, therefore this medicine should be used with caution in breastfeeding mothers. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
Label warnings
• Take at regular intervals. Complete the prescribed course unless otherwise directed.
• This medication should be taken with plenty of water.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
• Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting, indigestion or abdominal pain.
• Inflammation of the large intestine (colitis).
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice).
• Inflammation of the vagina (vaginitis).
• Decrease in the number of white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets in the blood.
• Skin reactions, such as rash, hives, redness of skin.
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine's manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How can this medicine affect other medicines?
It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start taking this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while using this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.
If you are prescribed this medicine whilst taking oral contraceptives, there is a very low risk that the clindamycin may make your pill less effective at preventing pregnancy.
Although the risk of this is very low, it is recommended that you use an extra method of contraception (eg condoms) while you are taking this medicine and for seven days after finishing the course. If these seven days run beyond the end of a pill packet, a new packet should be started without a break.
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