The active substance of the medicine, metronidazole, is a nitroimidazole derivative. Metronidazole is able to penetrate into microorganisms, and forms nitroso radicals with microbial pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase by oxidation of ferredoxin and flavodoxin under anaerobic conditions.
Treatment and prevention of infections caused by microorganisms sensitive to metronidazole (mainly anaerobic bacteria):
– central nervous system infections (including brain abscess, meningitis);
– lung and pleural infections (including necrotising pneumonia, aspiration pneumonia, lung abscess);
– endocarditis;
– abdominal and gastrointestinal infections (including peritonitis, liver abscess, infections after surgery on the colon or rectum, purulent lesions of the abdominal or pelvic cavity);
– gynaecological infections (including endometritis after hysterectomy or a Cesarean section, puerperal fever, septic abortion);
– ENT and oral infections (including acutenecrotizing ulcerative gingivitis);
– bone and joint infections (including osteomyelitis);
– gas gangrene;
– septicaemia with thrombophlebitis.
The drug should be administered as a slow intravenous infusion (i.e. a maximum of 100 ml over at least 20 minutes, usually over 1 hour).
The drug can be diluted prior to administration by adding other drugs or diluents, such as 0.9% sodium chloride solution for infusion or 5% glucose solution for infusion.
Antibiotics prescribed concurrently should be administered separately.
The dose should be adjusted according to the individual patient's response to the treatment, his/her age and body weight, and the type and severity of the disease.