Sulkav Duo Tablet belongs to the group of antibiotics called 'penicillin' used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections. It is a 'broad-spectrum antibiotic' that treats various bacterial infections of the middle ear and sinus infections, throat or lung respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, skin infections, soft tissue infections, joint and bone infections, and post-operative infections. Bacterial infections are caused due to the multiplication of harmful bacteria inside or on the body. These harmful bacteria produce chemicals known as toxins, which can damage tissue and make you sick.

Sulkav Duo Tablet contains two penicillin antibiotics namely: Ampicillin and Sulbactam. Ampicillin acts by destroying the outer protein layer thereby killing the bacteria (bactericidal). Sulbactam inhibits the enzyme beta-lactamase which prevents bacteria from destroying the efficacy of ampicillin. As a result, the action of sulbactam allows ampicillin to work better and kill the bacteria. Sulkav Duo Tablet does not work against infections caused by viruses including colds and flu.

You should take this medicine as prescribed by your doctor. The common side-effects of Sulkav Duo Tablet are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and skin rash. Most of these side effects do not require medical attention and will resolve gradually over time. However, you are advised to talk to your doctor if you experience these side effects persistently.

Do not take Sulkav Duo Tablet if you are allergic to any antibiotics (especially penicillin), clavulanic acid, or other ingredients present in it. Before taking Sulkav Duo Tablet, inform your doctor if you have liver disease, kidney disease, a history of jaundice (yellowing of the skin) with an antibiotic, glandular fever (fever with a sore throat, swollen glands, and extreme tiredness), urination problems, weak immune system (by disease or using medicine), short bowel syndrome (physical or functional loss of small intestine), fits, and inflammation of the large intestine. Do not take Sulkav Duo Tablet on your own as, self-medication may lead to antibiotic-resistance in which antibiotics fail to act against specific bacterial infections. Avoid taking Sulkav Duo Tablet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding unless prescribed by a doctor. If prescribed by your doctor Sulkav Duo Tablet is safe well-tolerated among adults, children, pregnant, and breastfeeding women.

Sulkav Duo Tablet is a combination of two medicines: Ampicillin and Sulbactam. It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that covers a very wide range of bacterial infections. Ampicillin is a penicillin antibiotic and shows bactericidal (kills bacteria) activity. It works by preventing the formation of bacterial cell covering, which is necessary for their survival. Thereby, kills the bacteria and helps in treating and preventing the spread of infections. Sulkav Duo Tablet has the advantage of having Sulbactam which protects Ampicillin from getting destroyed by the bacterial enzyme increasing its efficacy. Besides this, it helps overcome antibiotic resistance in bacteria caused by the enzyme which destroys ampicillin (beta-lactamase). This makes the drug effective in multiple infections like skin and soft tissue infections (bacterial infections), urinary tract infections, female genital infections (gonorrhoea), ear infections, respiratory tract infections, infections of the nose, sinuses, and throat, and postoperative infections. After oral administration, Sulkav Duo Tablet is hydrolyzed in the intestine and increases the absorption in the bloodstream as ampicillin and sulbactam and decreases the chances of diarrhea and dysentery.

• Nausea

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Skin rashes

Before starting Sulkav Duo Tablet, please inform your doctor if you have any allergy to any penicillin antibiotics or other antibiotics. Do not take Sulkav Duo Tablet on your own as self-medication may lead to antibiotic-resistance in which antibiotics fail to act against specific bacterial infections. Consult your doctor immediately if you experience skin rash or prolonged, significant diarrhoea with abdominal pains. Talk to your doctor before taking Sulkav Duo Tablet if you had diarrhoea after taking antibiotics or inflammation of the bowel. Avoid taking Sulkav Duo Tablet if you are pregnant or breastfeeding unless prescribed by a doctor. Avoid alcohol consumption while taking Sulkav Duo Tablet to prevent unpleasant side effects. Intake of Sulkav Duo Tablet may increase the risk of jaundice (liver problem) in newborn babies so it should be only given after consulting a doctor. Sulkav Duo Tablet should not be given to people with infectious mononucleosis (viral infection with sore throat and fever) and leukaemia (blood cancer). It is advisable to check periodically for organ system dysfunction during prolonged therapy; this includes renal, hepatic, and hematopoietic systems. Your symptoms may improve before the bacterial infection is completely cured. Therefore, it is always advised to complete the course of therapy.

Drug-Drug Interactions: Sulkav Duo Tablet may have interaction with antibiotics (sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim, sulfadiazine, azithromycin, gentamycin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, sulfonamides, tetracyclines), anticoagulants (warfarin), anti-gout which decreases uric acid (allopurinol, probenecid), and pain killer (aspirin),  antimetabolites (methotrexate), BCG vaccine live, cholera vaccine

Drug-Food Interactions: Avoid taking eating high-fat meal as this make it harder for your body to absorb Sulkav Duo Tablet.

Drug-Disease Interaction: Sulkav Duo Tablet may have interactions with colitis (inflammation in the lining of the intestine or colon), bone marrow toxicity (blood cancer), liver disease, and mononucleosis (viral infection with sore throat and fever).

• TRIMETHOPRIM+SULFAMETHOXAZOLE
• SULFADIAZINE+CHLORHEXIDINE
• AZITHROMYCIN
• GENTAMICIN
• CHLORAMPHENICOL
• ERYTHROMYCIN
• TETRACYCLINE
• WARFARIN
• ALLOPURINOL
• PROBENECID
• ASPIRIN
• METHOTREXATE
• BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN(BCG) VACCINE
• CHOLERA VACCINE

• Antibiotics can alter the useful bacteria in the stomach, which help with indigestion. Therefore, you are advised to take foods rich in probiotics such as yogurt/curd, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, kimchi, miso, kombucha, buttermilk, natto, and cheese.

• Eat fiber-rich food like whole grains, beans, lentils, berries, broccoli, peas, and bananas.

• Avoid foods rich in calcium, grapefruit, and grapefruit juice as they might hinder the absorption of antibiotics.

• Avoid the consumption of alcohol to treat your condition effectively.

• Avoid the usage of tobacco.

• To cure your condition effectually complete the full course of Sulkav Duo Tablet even though you find symptomatic relief.

• Even if you feel better after taking Sulkav Duo Tablet, do not stop taking it until your doctor says so. This might cause the symptoms to reappear and will make the infection difficult to treat due to antibiotic resistance.

• Prolonged use of Sulkav Duo Tablet causes fungal or bacterial superinfection. Do not take more than prescribed.

• Make sure you drink plenty of fluids when you are sick. This will in general help you clear out the infection faster, protect you from dehydration, and will help you overcome some unpleasant side effects of taking Sulkav Duo Tablet.

• Some people may be allergic to Sulkav Duo Tablet or other penicillin or cephalosporin group of antibiotics. So a prior sensitivity test may be necessary. Inform your doctor if you are allergic to any medicine particularly antibiotics belong to these groups.

• If you feel nauseous after taking Sulkav Duo Tablet, stick to simple meals like porridge, khichdi, dal roti and other home-cooked meals. Avoid spicy and fatty food.

Bacterial infections: A bacterial infection is a condition in which harmful bacteria enter, multiply and infect our body. It can target any body part and multiply very quickly. When you get infected with bacteria, you can experience generalized symptoms, like fevers, chills, and fatigue. Bacteria are of various forms comprising commonly of spherical, rod and spiral-shaped. Bacterial infections vary from minor illnesses like sore throat and ear infections to severe brain infections like meningitis and encephalitis. Anyone can become infected with a bacterial infection. But, people with weak immune systems or taking immunosuppressive medicine are more prone to bacterial infection.