How long does it take for Amoxicillin to work?
By
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii, PhD, is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drug Design and Development, Enzymes, Molecular Modelling, and Photodynamic Therapy. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii’s Highlights:
- Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of São Paulo, emphasizing therapy of neglected diseases using light.
- PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences focusing on drug design and development at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo.
- Six months as an international researcher at the Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases (University of California San Diego)
- Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences focusing on drug design and development at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo.
- Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Mogi das Cruzes – São Paulo / Brazil
Professional Experience:
2012 – 2018 Project manager at University of São Paulo – Pharmacy Department
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii has worked with computational studies, synthesis, biological evaluation, design, and development of new inhibitor candidates for Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis.
2017 – 2017 International research fellow at University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences – Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases.
She used Virtual Screening (VS) and High-Throughput Screening (HTS) Integration in the Discovery of new drugs against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
2018 – 2019 Faculdades Oswaldo Cruz
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii was a professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy, teaching the subjects of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Development.
2019 – 2021 Researcher in Biochemistry University of São Paulo – Biochemistry Department
She applied Photodynamic Therapy in Leishmaniasis Treatment, mentored undergraduate students in scientific activities, and wrote, executed, translated, and reported scientific projects with funding agencies.
2023-2023 UniPiaget – University Center.
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii was a Biology, Nutrition, Physiotherapy, and Pharmacy professor.
Education:
2018 -2021 Postdoctoral at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of São Paulo
2013 -2018 PhD of Science: Drugs and Medicines at Department of Pharmacy at University of São Paulo
2012 -2013 M.Sc. of Sciences: Drugs and Medicines at the Department of Pharmacy at the University of São Paulo
2005-2008 Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Mogi das Cruzes
The leading publications of Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii are:
Vital-Fujii, D.G, Baptista, M.S. (2021). Progress in the photodynamic therapy treatment of Leishmaniasis. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 54, 1-11.
Gatti, F. M., Gomes, R.A., da Fonseca, A.L., Lima, E.J.C., Vital-Fujii, D.G., Taranto, A.G., Varotti, F.P., Trossini, G.H.G. (2020). Antiplasmodial activity of sulfonylhydrazones: in vitro and in silico approaches. Future medicinal chemistry, 13, 233-250.
Silva, E.J., Bezerra-Souza, A., Passero, L.F., Laurenti, M.D., Ferreira, G.M., Fujii, D.G.V., et al. (2018). Synthesis, leishmanicidal activity, structural descriptors and structure-activity relationship of quinoline derivatives. Future medicinal chemistry, 10, 2069-2085.
Leite, F.H.A., Froes, T.Q., da Silva, S.G., de Souza, E.I.M., Vital-Fuji,i D.G., Trossini, G.H.G., et al. (2017). An integrated approach towards the discovery of novel non-nucleoside Leishmania major pteridine reductase 1 inhibitors. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 132, 322-332.
Vital, D.G., Damasceno, F.S., Rapado, L.N., Silber, A.M., Vilella, F.S., Ferreira, R.S., et al. (2017). Application of bioisosterism in design of the semicarbazone derivatives as cruzain inhibitors: a theoretical and experimental study. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 35, 1244–1259.
Mello, J. F.R., Gomes, R.A., Vital-Fujii, D.G., Ferreira, G.M., Trossini, G.H.G. (2017). Fragment-based drug discovery as alternative strategy to the drug development for neglected diseases. Chemical Biology & Drug Design, 90, 1067-1078.
Pantaleao, S.Q., Fujii, D.G.V., Maltarollo, V.G., da C. Silva, D., Trossini, G.H.G., Weber, K.C., et al. (2017). The Role of QSAR and Virtual Screening Studies in Type 2 Diabetes Drug Discovery. Medicinal Chemistry, 13, 706-720.
Vital, D., Arribas, M., Trossini, G. (2014). Molecular Modeling and Docking Application to Evaluate Cruzain Inhibitory Activity by Chalcones and Hydrazides. Letters in Drug Design and Discovery, 11, 249-255.
Blau, L., Menegon, R.F., Trossini, G.H.G., Molino, J.V.D., Vital, D.G., Cicarelli, R.M.B., et al. (2013). Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new aryl thiosemicarbazone as antichagasic candidates. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67, 142-151.
You can view some of Dr Drielli’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9270-0466
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Drielli-Gomes-Vital-Fujii
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55829534000
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=F9U50AEAAAAJ&hl=pt-BR
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/driellivital
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/6101380/drielli-gomes-vital
CDIPD: https://cdipd.org/index.php/about-us/visiting-scientists
How long does it take for Amoxicillin to work?
Amoxicillin starts to kill bacteria within an hour or two of dose administration, but it can take 2-3 days to see a noticeable difference in your symptoms.
Amoxicillin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that kills bacteria as soon as you take one dose. However, one dose is not sufficient to clear up the infection, so most doctors prescribe this antibiotic for 3-7 days, depending on the severity of your infection (1).
A mild bacterial infection will start to reduce the symptoms in less than 48 hours with Amoxicillin. However, more severe infections can take a while.
One dose of Amoxicillin does not take that long to get absorbed in your body and the peak plasma drug concentration is achieved within an hour or two. Make sure you follow the Amoxicillin course properly as antibiotics are supposed to be taken vigilantly.
What if Amoxicillin is not working?
If you feel like Amoxicillin is not working and your symptoms don’t start to subside within 72 hours, talk to your healthcare provider. There could be a number of reasons why Amoxicillin might not work. Some of these include:
- Previous antibiotic resistance
- Bacteria not sensitive to Amoxicillin
- Dose not sufficient enough to fight against the active bacterial infection
- Lesser dose frequency
- Patient non-adherence
The most important thing to make sure of when it comes to taking antibiotics is that you’re taking them on time. If you’re skipping doses or you’re deliberately taking one dose a day when your doctor prescribed two, such things can affect the overall activity of your antibiotic.
Furthermore, improper use of antibiotics can create resistance in your body. If you had taken Amoxicillin improperly several times before, there might be a chance of drug resistance.
If Amoxicillin doesn’t work to resolve your symptoms, even when the dose and frequency are right, your doctor will suggest another antibiotic, specific to your infection.
If you have more questions or you’re concerned about any of the side effects, ask your doctor or pharmacist, and of course, you can ask us too!
Final words
To sum up, Amoxicillin is an effective antibiotic for a number of bacterial infections, but it can’t be used for every infection. It is crucial to use the right kind of antibiotic to fight against a certain infection in your body.
Although Amoxicillin is widely used throughout the world, it may not work well for some people. If this antibiotic causes side effects or fails to manage your symptoms,n reach out to your prescribing physician.
In case this antibiotic causes gastrointestinal side effects, make sure you take it with food and avoid taking it on an empty stomach. This way, the gastrointestinal side effects will be prevented to some extent.
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References
1.-
MedlinePlus. Amoxicillin. MedlinePlus drug information [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [updated 2022 Feb 15; cited 2022 Oct 4]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a685001.html
