Metronidazole is sold under the brand name Flagyl. Metronidazole is an antibiotic that you can utilize to treat conditions like anaerobic infections caused by bacteria or sensitive parasites. But, how long does it take for metronidazole to work?
Well, Metronidazole is absorbed and diffuses into sensitive organisms, where it becomes active and has a negative impact on DNA synthesis and breakdown, resulting in cell death. However, the actual mechanism of action of metronidazole remains uncertain. So, stay tuned with us if you want to find out how long does it take for metronidazole to work.
Metronidazole Overview:
How long does it take for metronidazole to work? But, before we dive into that, let’s find out what Metronidazole is and how it works.
The antibiotic metronidazole is used to treat bacterial infections. Skin infections, oral infections, rosacea, dental abscesses, infected gums are all treated with it. People also use it to treat pelvic inflammatory disease and bacterial vaginosis, among other things.
You can use this medicine to treat and prevent bacterial and parasite infections, as well as skin ulcers, infected bug bites, bedsores, and wounds. However, metronidazole may only be obtained with a prescription.
It’s available in the form of pills, gel, vaginal gel, cream, a drinkable liquid, or a suppository, which is a drug that you gently insert into your anus. It can also be administered through injection, but this is usually done in a hospital setting.
How Long Does It Take For Metronidazole To Work?
How long does it take for metronidazole to work? Well, there is no definite answer to it. Once you take the dose, it usually takes 1-2 hours for Metronidazole to work. However, it may take up to 48 hours for the infection-related symptoms to disappear. That means Metronidazole takes up almost 2 days to work.
However, if you take Metronidazole with alcohol, anticoagulants, such as busulfan, warfarin, disulfiram, astemizole, cimetidine, lithium, it will cause adverse interactions. Even the medicines inhibiting cytochrome p450 enzymes like phenobarbital or phenytoin may also cause an adverse reaction when taken with Metronidazole.
Some medications that prolong the QT interval, like chlorpromazine, amiodarone, haloperidol, and clarithromycin, will also take much longer for Metronidazole to work. Even propylene glycol may sometimes hamper the effectiveness of Metronidazole.
Upsides Of Metronidazole:
Now, you know how long does it take for metronidazole to work. However, do you know what the medicine is good for? Let’s take a look:
- It has strong tissue penetration and can be used to treat infections caused by sensitive anaerobic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, belly, deeper layers of the skin, genitourinary region, bones or joints, heart, throughout the blood, central nervous system, and lower respiratory tract.
- Gram-positive anaerobes such as Eubacterium species, Clostridium species, and Peptococcus species, and Peptostreptococcus species can cause severe bacterial infection in your organs. Since you know how long does it take for metronidazole to work, you can take medicine to get rid of the disease. Even the gram-negative anaerobes like Fusobacterium species, Protozoal parasites, Entamoeba histolytica, and Trichomonas vaginalis can also cause severe reactions if you take metronidazole.
- T. vaginalis infections, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, may be treated with this medication. Male sexual partners of patients with Trichomoniasis infections should be treated simultaneously; isolating the organism from asymptomatic men might be challenging, and negative smears or cultures aren’t always reliable. The risk of reinfection in women is also reduced when asymptomatic male partners are treated.
Downsides Of Metronidazole:
Metronidazole is not always a beneficial drug. Sometimes, it can also cause adverse reactions to the human body if combined with other medications. Let’s take a look at the downsides of metronidazole:
- Common adverse effects include headaches, nausea, diarrhea, flushing, an unpleasant metallic taste, nerve damage in the fingers and toes, and a rash. Seizures are a rare occurrence. Flagyl’s adverse effects may be more noticeable in the elderly.
- Metronidazole has been linked to cases of encephalopathy and peripheral neuropathy. Therefore, someone who knows how long does it takes for metronidazole to work must not take it if they have any nerve disease.
- Extended-release Flagyl pills should not be crushed, broken, or chewed. If you know how long does it take for metronidazole to work, consume them in their whole form.
- Alcohol and propylene glycol interact with Flagyl, a food additive. Abdominal pains, nausea, vomiting, headaches, and flushing are some of the symptoms. When using Flagyl, stay away from alcohol and anything containing propylene glycol.
- In severe hepatic impairment and end-stage renal disease, Flagyl dose may need to be lowered. However, no dose adjustments are required for mild-to-moderate renal or liver illness.
How To Take It?
- It is possible to take it with or without food. Take precisely as advised and for the specified amount of time. Metronidazole can be administered as a single dosage for specific illnesses. However, it may be necessary to take it for seven to ten days, or possibly longer, for different forms of infections.
- Flagyl should only be used to treat infections you have been prescribed. Flagyl has no antiviral properties, and so you must find out how long does it take for metronidazole to work before taking it.
- While taking Flagyl and for three days after the course has ended, avoid alcohol or items containing propylene glycol found in several flavored iced drinks, frostings, and salad dressings.
- If you have numbness, discomfort, or sensitivity in your fingers or toes or observe any skin color changes in these areas, get medical help. Also, if you get a hairy tongue or a painful or irritated mouth, see your doctor.
Putting It All Together
How Long Does It Take For Metronidazole To Work? We have already answered this question. However, we have also talked about what the medicine is suitable for and its upsides and downsides. Since we have mentioned the downsides of Metronidazole in this article, it should not be much difficult for you to find out when you should not consume this medicine. However, if you want to know anything else about it, please let us know in the comment box below.
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