Are Clindamycin And Clarithromycin Different From Each Other?

Posted on Sat, 7 Oct 2017

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 7 Oct 2017 Answered on

Wed, 8 Nov 2017 Last reviewed on

Question : I have been prescribed clarithromycin because I am allergic to clindomycin and amoxicillin. Is it different to clindomycin?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Michelle Gibson (30 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
it is a different class of antibiotic, totally different drug family

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

These are different types of antibiotics, they belong to different drug classes.

Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic

Clarithromycin is macrolide.

Clindamycin is a lincosamide.

Different classes of antibiotics have a different structure, mechanism of action, types of bacteria that they are effective against, different side effects, dosing.

I hope this helps,, feel free to ask any other questions

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar