General Information

• Acne,

• Sinusitis,

• pneumonia,

• as an alternative to penicillin in sensitive patients in the prophylaxis of rheumatic fever and bacterial endocarditis

• Ocular infection like conjunctivitis

• Chlamydial infections

• Take Erythromycin exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you do not understand ask your pharmacist, nurse or doctor to explain them to you.

• Take oral dose of erythromycin on empty stomach 1hr before or 2hrs after meals with 1 glass of water at regular intervals as prescribed by your doctor.

• Erythromycin absorption decrease if it is taken with food however it is advisable to take it with food if you have discomfort taking on empty stomach.

• Do not skip any doses. Continue to take it even when you feel better. 

• You must complete the entire course of medication to get maximum benefit; else the infection will not clear completely and in due course result in development of resistance.

• Erythromycin is known to interact with wide variety of drugs. Inform your doctor if you are taking any OTC or prescription medicine like

1. Anticoagulants (warfarin)
2. Antibiotics( rifabutin)
3. Antifungal drugs(fluconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole)
4. Anti migraine drugs(ergotamine)
5. Anti convulsants (carbamazepine)
6. Anti hypertensive like sotalol,felodipine,

• Inform your doctor if you have following medical conditions as Erythromycin should be used cautiously in the below mentioned conditions

1. Liver disease
2. Myasthenia gravis
3. Family history of Long QT interval or sudden cardiac arrest
4. Blood disorder like porphyria

1. Astemizole (antihistamine)
2. Terfenadine (antihistamine)
3. Cisapride
4. Pimozide

• severe diarrhoea,

• nausea &vomiting, 

• abdominal pain and 

• Hearing impairment.

• Diarrhoea 

• Nausea and vomiting 

• Abdominal discomfort

• Loss of appetite

• Allergic reaction like swollen lips, hives, difficulty in breathing, rashes peeling of skin, blistering etc

• Severe diarrhoea associated with bloody stools

• Jaundice( yellowing of eyes and skin)

• Decrease in amount of urine passed

• Palpitations, irregular heartbeat

• Decrease in hearing ability

• Avoid grape fruit and juices when on Erythromycin medication.

• Erythromycin sensitizes the skin to sunlight. Avoid prolong exposure or use long sleeved clothing and sunscreen (SPF-15) when you go out in the sun.

• Antibiotics usually cause mild diarrhoea. Consult your doctor immediately if it is severe, associated with mucus or bloody stools, as it could be sign of new infection or pseudomembranous colitis.

• When used for long duration, your doctor may ask you to undergo laboratory test like complete cell count, liver function test, Renal function test to look for possible side effects.

It is imp to read manufacturing packaging instruction carefully if available and always do not hesitate to consult pharmacist or physician for any information.