Nitrofurantoin

Nitrofurantoin, sold under the trade name Macrobid among others, is an antibiotic used to treat bladder infections. It is not effective for kidney infections. It is taken by mouth.

Common side effects include nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and headaches. Rarely numbness, lung problems, or liver problems may occur. It should not be used in people with kidney problems. While it looks like it is generally safe during pregnancy it should not be used near delivery. It works by slowing growth rather than killing bacteria.

Nitrofurantoin was first sold in 1953. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system. It is available as a generic medication. The wholesale cost is 0.005 and 0.46 USD a dose. In the United States it is about 60 USD for 10 days of treatment.

Medical uses

Current uses include the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs and prophylaxis against UTIs in people prone to recurrent UTIs.

Increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance to other commonly used agents, such as fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, has led to increased interest in using nitrofurantoin. Several trials comparing nitrofurantoin to other commonly used agents have shown this drug results in similar cure rates for uncomplicated UTIs. The efficacy of nitrofurantoin in treating UTIs combined with a low rate of bacterial resistance to this agent makes it one of the first-line agents for treating uncomplicated UTIs as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.