AdventHealth Tampa logo
Antimicrobials
Metronidazole

Metronidazole

Low
Excellent (90 to 100%)
Oral: $0.43/dose; IV: $0.93/dose

Spectrum of Activity

General Spectrum of Activity
​

Dosing

General Information

  • CBC with differential at baseline, during and after prolonged or repeated courses

  • Assess for peripheral/optic neuropathy with prolonged therapy

  • Nausea

  • Vaginitis

  • Headache

  • Metallic taste

  • Peripheral/optic neuropathy with extended therapy

  • Disulfiram-like reaction (severe vomiting)

  • Rare neurotoxicity including aseptic meningitis and encephalopathy

  • Absorption: Oral: Well absorbed
  • Distribution:
    • To bile, seminal fluid, bone, liver, and liver abscesses, lung and vaginal secretions
    • Crosses blood-brain barrier
    • Saliva and CSF concentrations similar to those in plasma
  • Protein Binding: <20%
  • Metabolism: Hepatic (30% to 60%) to several metabolites including an active hydroxyl metabolite which maintains activity ~30% to 65% of the parent compound
  • Half-Life Elimination: ~8 hours
  • Time to Peak, Serum: Oral: 1-2 hours
  • Excretion: 
    • Urine (unchanged drug and metabolites: 60% to 80%; ~20% of total as unchanged drug)
    • Feces (6% to 15%)