Patient leaflet - Phenoxymethylpenicillin 250 mg / 5 ml oral solution sugar free BP
WHAT PHENOXYMETHYLPENICILLIN ORAL SOLUTION SUGAR FREE IS AND WHAT IT IS USED FOR
Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free is available in two strengths as a powder for reconstitution. The powder for reconstitution is prepared by the pharmacist before dispensing by adding water to the powder to give 100ml of oral solution. The strength you are given will be decided by your doctor.
Phenoxymethylpenicillin, the active ingredient, is an antibiotic, which belongs to a group of medicines called penicillins, which are used to kill bacteria that cause infections in your body. Your medicine is used to:
- treat bacterial infections of the ear, throat, respiratory tract, skin and soft tissues
- prevent infections such as rheumatic fever or chorea recurring
- prevent pneumococcal infection (e.g. in asplenia and in patients with sickle cell disease).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TAKE
PHENOXYMETHYLPENICILLIN ORAL SOLUTION SUGAR FREE
Do not take Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free if:
- You have ever had a bad reaction or allergic reaction to any penicillin-type antibiotic including cephalosporin drugs
- You have ever had a skin rash or swelling of the face or neck or shortness of breath when taking any antibiotic
- You are allergic to any of the ingredients contained in this medicine
Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor before taking Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free if:
- You suffer from any severe illness, nausea, vomiting, stomach bloating/cramping or difficulty swallowing
- You suffer from stomach problems accompanied by vomiting or diarrhoea – your doctor may decide that an oral antibiotic is not of benefit to you
- You suffer from any kidney problems, as you may be given a lower dose than normal
- You suffer from allergies and/or asthma
- You suffer from allergic reactions to penicillin, cephalosporins or other drugs
- You are taking the contraceptive pill. You may need to take extra contraceptive precaution such as using a condom.
Potentially life-threatening skin rashes (Stevens Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis) have been reported with the use of some penicillin’s appearing initially as reddish target-like spots or circular patches often with central blisters on the trunk. Additional signs to look for include ulcers in the mouth, throat, nose, genitals and conjunctivitis (red and swollen eyes). If you develop a rash or these skin symptoms, stop taking Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free, seek urgent advice from a doctor and tell them that you are taking this medicine.
Prolonged use of an antibiotic may result in infections due to bacteria resistance to the antibiotic.
Other medicines and Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free:
Your medicine may interfere with other medicines that you may be taking. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, or have recently taken, any other medicines even those not prescribed, including herbal and homeopathic remedies.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking:
- Methotrexate (a drug used to treat cancers and psoriasis)
- Some other antibiotics (tetracyclines, erythromycin, neomycin and chloramphenicol have been reported to reduce the effect of penicillin)
- Sulfinpyrazone or probenecid (medicines used to treat gout)
- Anti-coagulants (e.g. warfarin - to prevent blood clots)
- Oral typhoid vaccine (penicillin can stop this from working)
- Guar gum - used in diabetes
The contraceptive pill (you will need to take extra contraceptive precautions such as using a condom).
Laboratory tests
In patients undergoing long-term treatment with phenoxymethylpenicillin, blood counts and also liver and kidney function should be monitored. Tell your doctor if you are having urine tests for diabetes or certain liver function tests, as the medicine can affect the results of some tests.
Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free with food and drink
Guar gum (used as a thickening agent and normally found in puddings and ice-cream and benefiber) can reduce the absorption of phenoxymethylpenicillin.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
This medicine may be present in breast milk and can cause an allergic reaction in the infant.
Driving and using machines
It is not known if Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free has an effect on your ability to drive and use machines however some of the side effects may affect your ability to drive and use machines.
Important information about some of the ingredients in your medicine
This medicine contains sorbitol and sodium benzoate.
The 125mg/5ml solution contains 792.93 mg of sorbitol in each 5 ml dose.
The 250 mg/5ml solution contains 800.00 mg of sorbitol in each 5 ml dose.
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23mg) per unit volume, that is essentially to say ‘sodium-free’.
Sodium benzoate may increase jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes) in newborn babies (up to four weeks old). This medicine contains 16 mg Sodium benzoate in each 5ml Dose which is equivalent to 320 mg/100 ml unit volume.
HOW TO TAKE
PHENOXYMETHYLPENICILLIN ORAL SOLUTION SUGAR FREE
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist. Their directions may differ from the information contained in this leaflet. The pharmacist’s label should tell you how much to take and how often. If it does not, or you are not sure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
How much of your medicine to take
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. The dose will depend on the patient and will be decided by your doctor.
The usual doses for each age group are as follows:
Adults including the elderly and children over 12 years
250mg to 500mg every six hours (one to two 5ml spoonfuls of 250mg/5ml)
Children
Infants (up to 1 year): 62.5mg every 6 hours 1-5 years: 125mg every six hours (one 5ml spoonful of 125mg/5ml)
6-12 years: 250mg every six hours (one 5ml spoonful of 250mg/5ml or two 5ml spoonfuls of 125mg/5ml)
For preventing the recurrence of rheumatic fever or chorea:
The usual dose is 250mg twice daily on a continuing basis.
For the prevention of infection in patients without a spleen or patients with sickle cell disease:
For adults and children over 12 years, the dosage is 500mg every 12 hours. For children aged between 6 and 12 years, the dosage is 250mg every 12 hours and for children below 5 years, the dosage is 125mg every 12 hours. For children over 12 years the dose should not exceed the maximum adult doses. For elderly, the dosage is as for the adult. The dosage should be lowered in poor renal function.
Patients with kidney and liver problems
- If you have kidney problems the dose might be changed by your doctor.
- Dosage might be changed by your doctor if you have liver problems along with kidney problem.
In patients with bacterial infection (such as streptococcal infection), treatment is continued at the full dosage for 10 days to minimise complications.
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When to take your medicine
Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free is usually prescribed to be taken four times a day. It is best to take it as evenly spaced as possible.
Take this medicine when your stomach is empty. This means at least 30mins before food and preferably not less than two hours after food.
If you take more Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free than you should
If you accidentally take too much medicine, contact your doctor or pharmacist who will recommend what action you should take.
If you forget to take Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free
If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is almost time for your next dose. DO NOT take a double dose to make up for the dose you have missed.
If you stop taking your medicine
Keep taking this medicine until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop taking it just because you feel better. If you stop taking the medicine, your condition may re-occur or get worse.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS
Like all medicines phenoxymethylpenicillin can cause side effects although not everybody gets them.
Hypersensitivity/Allergic reactions of all intensity levels - to the point of anaphylactic shock-have also been observed after oral penicillin use. Severe anaphylactoid reactions, which occur significantly less often after oral administration of penicillin than after intravenous or intramuscular administration, may require appropriate emergency management.
STOP taking the medicine and tell your doctor IMMEDIATELY if you experience any of the following:
- an allergic reaction (hypersensitivity of all severity) - symptoms may include: difficulty breathing, muscle weakness, fever, joint pain, changes in blood counts, sudden swelling of the lips, cheeks, eyelids, tongue and throat, laryngeal oedema (accumulation of fluid in the larynx), bronchospasm (wheezing, shortness of breath), increase in the heartbeat, vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels) and a sudden drop in blood pressure up to life threatening shock
- allergic skin reactions including nettle rash/hives (urticaria), itching or severe peeling/blistering of the skin
- pseudomembranous enterocolitis (bacterial infection of the large intestine. Symptoms include abdominal pain and diarrhoea)
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people
- nausea (feeling sick)
- vomiting (getting sick)
- stomach pain
- pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen (gastric discomfort)
- cramps and diarrhoea
- gas (flatulence)
- inflamed and sore mouth (stomatitis), inflammation of the tongue (glossitis)
- rash, itchy skin, hives (immediate presence of hives indicates penicillin allergy, use of Phenoxymethylpenicillin should be discontinued)
- eruption of the skin (exanthema)
Very common: (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
- loss of appetite
Uncommon: (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
- sore mouth
- black hairy tongue (discolouration of tongue)
Rare: (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
- blistering and/or peeling of the skin, severe inflammation of the entire skin surface (shedding of the top layers of your skin (Exfoliative dermatitis)), Toxic epidermal necrolysis (which causes severe illness and flaking of the skin)
- dry mouth and changes in taste
- change in liver test results
- blood pressure decreased
- allergic vasculitis (sudden blue colouring of the skin, painful joints, kidney inflammation, mild fever)
- growth of bacteria or yeast on the tongue
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people
- inflammation of the kidney which can cause swollen ankles or high blood pressure
- a change in the number of white or red blood cells and platelets (symptoms can be bleeding under the skin and easier bruising, pale yellow skin, weakness or breathlessness, or make infections more likely)
- yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, pale stools and dark urine, loss of appetite, stomach discomfort caused by liver or blood problems (all symptoms of cholestatic jaundice)
- kidney problems, which might cause blood in the urine or increased amounts of urine (interstitial nephritis)
- severe skin reactions such as
Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- serum sickness-like reactions (characterised by fever, chills, arthralgia and oedema)
- tooth discolouration
- severe, watery diarrhoea, along with pus/mucus in stool, severe cramps/abdominal tenderness, nausea (pseudomembranous enterocolitis)
- hepatitis
sore throats, infections or fever/chills, faster 4.
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heart rate (may be caused by low levels of white blood cells)
- lower-than-normal levels of white blood cells
- higher than normal level of white blood cells (eosinophilia)
- coagulation disorders (problems with blood clotting (easy bruising or prolonged bleeding))
- haemolytic anaemia (anaemia (lack of energy or tiredness, cold hands/feet, pale skin))
- lower-than-normal levels of platelets (a type of blood cell) (more bruises than normal, or worse than normal, small red dots under skin, unusually bleeding (gums/nose), blood in urine/stools)
Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data
- pins and needles or numbness (paraesthesia)
- central nervous system toxicity (symptoms including but not limited to anxiety, dizziness, numbness, light-headedness, and tinnitus)
If any of the side effects get serious, or if you notice any side effect not listed in this leaflet, you should contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via
www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
HOW TO STORE
PHENOXYMETHYLPENICILLIN ORAL SOLUTION SUGAR FREE
KEEP THIS MEDICINE OUT OF THE SIGHT AND REACH OF CHILDREN.
Expiry date
Do not use your medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label. The expiry date, listed as “expiry” on the label, refers to the last day of that month.
Storage conditions
Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free should be stored for up to 7 days in a refrigerator. Keep it in the pack in which it was given to you. Do not transfer your medicine to another container.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
If your doctor tells you to stop your treatment return any left over to the pharmacist. Only keep it if your doctor tells you to.
CONTENTS OF THE PACK AND OTHER INFORMATION
What Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free contains:
Active ingredient: Each 5ml spoonful of oral solution contains 125mg or 250mg of phenoxymethylpenicillin as
phenoxymethylpenicillin potassium.
Other ingredients: sodium benzoate (E211), saccharin sodium, trusil orange flavour, quinoline yellow (E104), sorbitol 60W (E420) and mono ammonium glycyrrhizate.
What Phenoxymethylpenicillin looks like and contents of the pack
Unconstituted powder: A pale yellow dry granular powder.
Reconstituted solution: A yellow solution with an orange odour.
Phenoxymethylpenicillin Oral Solution Sugar Free is available in a size of 100ml on reconstitution.
The product licence holder is:
Kent Pharma UK Limited, 2nd Floor, Connect 38, 1 Dover Place, Ashford, Kent, England, TN23 1FB.
Manufacturer
Athlone Laboratories Limited, Ballymurray, Co. Roscommon, Ireland.
Kent Pharmaceuticals Limited, Repton Road, Measham, DE12 7DT, U.K.
PL 51463/0182 and PL 51463/0183
This leaflet was last revised January 2026 6.
CP.PEN.JNT.SoSF.Sp.AP0070-71.V9P1 P506/13