Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary
The
full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about taking this medicine,
speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
1. Why am I taking E-MYCIN?
E-MYCIN contains the active ingredient erythromycin. E-MYCIN is used to treat certain
bacterial infections, control acne and prevent infections in people with a history
of rheumatic, congenital or other acquired valvular heart disease who are allergic
to penicillin antibiotics. For more information, see Section
1. Why am I taking E-MYCIN? in the full CMI.
2. What should I know before I take E-MYCIN?
Do not take if you have ever had an allergic reaction to erythromycin or any other
antibiotic from the macrolide group (e.g. clarithromycin, roxithromycin), or any of
the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI. Do not take if you have severe liver
problems, an irregular heartbeat or heart rhythm disorder, or irregular electrolyte
levels.
Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines,
or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. For more information, see Section
2. What should I know before I take E-MYCIN? In the full CMI.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
4. How do I take E-MYCIN?
The usual adult dose is one E-MYCIN tablet (400 mg) every six hours but this may vary
from person to person.
Your doctor will adjust the amount or frequency of your doses according to the infection
being treated and the severity of the condition.
5. What should I know while taking E-MYCIN?
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Things you should do
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Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are taking E-MYCIN.
Tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve within a few days or if they become
worse.
Tell your doctor if you develop severe diarrhoea, or get a sore, white furry mouth
or tongue while taking or soon after stopping E-MYCIN.
Tell your doctor if you develop vaginal itching or discharge or if you become pregnant
while taking E-MYCIN.
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Things you should not do
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Do not take E-MYCIN to treat any other conditions unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give E-MYCIN to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not stop taking E-MYCIN, even if you feel better after a few days, unless advised
by your doctor.
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Driving or using machines
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Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how E-MYCIN affects you.
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Looking after your medicine
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Keep E-MYCIN tablets in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Keep E-MYCIN mixture in the refrigerator but not in the freezer.
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6. Are there any side effects?
Less serious side effects: feeling sick (nausea), fever, headache, stomach cramps and pains, vomiting and oral
or vaginal thrush.
Serious side effects: yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice), poor appetite, hearing or visual disturbances,
irregular heartbeat, muscle pain, dizziness, hallucinations, drowsiness and, in infants,
irritability with feeding or severe vomiting.
Very serious side effects: signs of an allergic reaction including skin rash, itching or hives; swelling of
the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; shortness of breath, wheezing and
troubled breathing, and watery, bloody or severe diarrhoea.
For more information, including what to do if you have any side effects, see Section
6. Are there any side effects? in the full CMI.
Active ingredient:
erythromycin (as ethyl succinate)
Full Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about taking E-MYCIN. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information
or if you have any concerns or questions about taking E-MYCIN.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
1. Why am I taking E-MYCIN?
E-MYCIN contains the active ingredient erythromycin. E-MYCIN is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of medicines called macrolides.
These medicines work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria, which cause infections
or make acne worse.
E-MYCIN will not work against infections caused by viruses, such as colds or flu.
E-MYCIN is used to:
treat certain bacterial infections
control acne, in addition to other acne treatments
prevent infections in people with a history of rheumatic disease, congenital heart
disease or other acquired valvular heart disease and who are allergic to penicillin
antibiotics.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why E-MYCIN has been prescribed
for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed E-MYCIN for another reason.
There is no evidence that E-MYCIN is addictive.
2. What should I know before I take E-MYCIN?
Warnings
Do not take E-MYCIN if:
you are allergic to medicines containing erythromycin or any other antibiotic from
the macrolide group (e.g. clarithromycin, roxithromycin), or any of the ingredients
listed at the end of this leaflet. Some of the symptoms of an allergic
reaction may include:
skin rash, itching or hives
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
shortness of breath, wheezing or troubled breathing.
Always check the ingredients to make sure you can take this medicine.
you are taking any of the following medicines:
terfenadine or astemizole
cisapride, pimozide or domperidone
class IA and III antiarrhythmics e.g., quinidine, disopyramide, procainamide, amiodarone
and sotalol
certain neuroleptics and tri- and tetracyclic antidepressants
arsenic trioxide, methadone, budipine, certain fluoroquinolones, imidazole anti-mycotics
and anti-malarials e.g., petamidine I.V.
simvastatin, lovastatin or atorvastatin
ergotamine or dihydroergotamine.
Taking E-MYCIN with any of the above medicines may cause serious side effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure if you are taking one of the above
medicines.
you have:
severe liver disease
heart rhythm disorders
irregular heartbeat or severe chronic heart failure
unbalanced electrolyte levels in the blood, particularly a deficiency of potassium
and magnesium.
the packaging shows signs of tampering or the tablets or mixtures do not look quite
right.
the expiry date (EXP) printed on the label has passed. If you take this medicine after
the expiry date, it may not work as well.
it has been longer than 10 days since the date of preparation of the E-MYCIN mixture.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking E-MYCIN, talk to your doctor.
Check with your doctor if you:
are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives
take any medicines for any other condition
have any of the following medical conditions:
liver problems
heart problems
myasthenia gravis, a condition in which the muscles become weak and tire easily
eye disorder
pneumonia.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start
taking E-MYCIN.
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important
you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information
under Section
6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking E-MYCIN during pregnancy.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or wish to breastfeed.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking E-MYCIN when breastfeeding.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may interfere with E-MYCIN. These include:
medicines used to prevent blood clotting, such as warfarin, acenocoumarol
some medicines used for epilepsy such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, hexobarbital, phenobarbital
and valproate
theophylline, a medicine used to treat asthma
diltiazem, verapamil, felodipine and mibefradil, medicines used to treat high blood
pressure and certain heart conditions
digoxin, a medicine used to treat heart failure
omeprazole and cimetidine, used to prevent ulcers by reducing the amount of acid produced
in stomach
ciclosporin, used to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat certain problems
with the immune system
tacrolimus, used as an adjunct to kidney transplantation
triazolam, zopiclone and midazolam, used to treat sleeplessness
nefazodone and St. John's Wort, medicines used to treat depression
alprazolam, used to treat anxiety disorders
methylprednisolone, and other corticosteroids
vinblastine, a medicine used to treat Hodgkin's Disease
sildenafil, used to treat erectile dysfunction in adult males
fenofexadine, mizolastine and ebastine, medicines used to treat allergies such as
hay fever
ritonavir, used to treat infections in patients with advanced HIV infection
medicines used to treat fungal infections such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole
rifabutin, rifampicin, clindamycin, lincomycin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, colistin
and bactericidal betalactam antibiotics (e.g. penicillin, cephalosporin)
bromocriptine, used to treat various conditions including Parkinson's Disease
colchicine, used for pain relief in gout
alfentanil, a medicine used for pain relief during anaesthesia
cilostazol, a medicine used in the treatment of painful calves, due to poor blood
flow to the muscles
diphenoxylate with atropine used to treat diarrhoea
opiates used as analgesics
hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine.
Your doctor can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines. You
may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure about what medicines, vitamins
or supplements you are taking and if these affect E-MYCIN.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or
avoid while taking E-MYCIN.
4. How do I take E-MYCIN?
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you are unsure, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
The usual adult dose is one E-MYCIN tablet (400 mg) every six hours but this may vary
from person to person.
Your doctor will tell you how many tablets you will need to take. This depends on
the infection being treated and how severe it is.
For children, their doctor will work out the dose according to their age, body weight
and how severe the infection is.
Your doctor will adjust the amount or frequency of your doses according to the infection
being treated and the severity of the condition.
How to take E-MYCIN
Tablets: Swallow whole with a glass of water.
Mixture: Always shake the bottle well before using a metric measure to measure the correct
dose.
Shaking the bottle and using a medicine measure will make sure that you get the correct
dose. You can buy a medicine measure from your pharmacist.
When to take E-MYCIN
Space the doses of E-MYCIN evenly apart and take them at about the same time each
day.
This will allow E-MYCIN to have its best effect and also help you to remember when
to take it.
E-MYCIN can be taken with or without food. However, taking E-MYCIN with food may help
reduce the chance of a stomach upset occurring.
How long to take E-MYCIN for
Keep taking E-MYCIN until you finish the tablets or mixture, or for as long as your
doctor recommends.
If you are being treated for an infection, E-MYCIN is usually taken for one to two
weeks. Your infection may not clear completely if you stop taking your medicine too
soon.
For controlling acne, E-MYCIN is normally taken for a few months.
Check with your doctor if you are not sure how long you should be taking E-MYCIN.
If you forget to take E-MYCIN
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next
dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking
your medicine as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.
If you have any questions or are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take too much E-MYCIN
If you think that you or anyone else has taken too much E-MYCIN, urgent medical
attention may be needed.
You should immediately:
phone the Poisons Information Centre
(Australia telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or
contact your doctor, or
go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.
You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
If you take too much E-MYCIN, you may have nausea, vomiting or problems with your
hearing.
5. What should I know while taking E-MYCIN?
Things you should do
If you are taking E-MYCIN for an infection and your symptoms do not improve within
a few days or become worse, tell your doctor.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist
that you are taking E-MYCIN.
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking
this medicine.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are being
given this medicine.
It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you become pregnant while taking E-MYCIN, tell your doctor.
If you have to have any urine tests, tell your doctor you are taking E-MYCIN.
E-MYCIN may affect the results of some tests.
If you get a sore, white mouth or tongue while taking or soon after stopping E-MYCIN,
tell your doctor. Also tell your doctor if you develop vaginal itching or discharge.
This may mean you have a fungal infection called thrush. Sometimes, the use of E-MYCIN
allows fungi to grow and the above symptoms to occur. E-MYCIN does not work against
fungi.
Call your doctor straight away:
if your baby develops irritability with feeding or has severe vomiting during treatment
with E-MYCIN. This may be a sign of a stomach disorder in the infant.
if you get severe diarrhoea. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after you have
stopped taking E-MYCIN.
Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without checking with your doctor.
Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may
need urgent medical care.
if you develop symptoms such as itching with swelling, skin rash or difficulty breathing
while you are taking E-MYCIN and stop taking the medicine immediately.
Things you should not do
Do not take E-MYCIN to treat any other conditions unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give E-MYCIN to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not stop taking E-MYCIN, even if you feel better after a few days, unless advised
by your doctor.
If you stop taking E-MYCIN too soon, the infection may not clear completely or your
symptoms may return.
If possible, your doctor will gradually reduce the amount you take each day before
stopping the medicine completely.
Driving or using machines
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how E-MYCIN
affects you.
Drinking alcohol
Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
Looking after your medicine
Store E-MYCIN tablets below 30°C.
Store E-MYCIN mixture in the refrigerator but not in the freezer.
Follow the instructions in the carton on how to take care of your medicine properly.
Store it in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight; for example, do
not store it:
in the bathroom or near a sink, or
in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where young children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place
to store medicines.
When to discard your medicine
Do not use any mixture left in the bottle after 10 days.
Getting rid of any unwanted medicine
If you no longer need to take this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy
for safe disposal.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date.
6. Are there any side effects?
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of
them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you
have any further questions about side effects.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Less serious side effects
Serious side effects
Very serious side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you
feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
After you have finished taking E-MYCIN
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly
if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with E-MYCIN:
severe abdominal cramps or stomach cramps
watery and severe diarrhoea, which may also be bloody
fever, in combination with one or both of the above.
You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel. These are rare but serious
side effects. Therefore, you may need urgent medical attention.
Do not take any medicine for diarrhoea without first checking with your doctor.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can
report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at
www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems . By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of
this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop
taking any of your medicines.
7. Product details
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
What E-MYCIN tablet contains
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Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
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erythromycin (as erythromycin ethyl succinate) 400 mg per tablet
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Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
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calcium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous
maize starch
sorbic acid
povidone
purified talc
sodium starch glycollate
magnesium stearate
Opadry Pink OY-B-34901 (ID 2963)
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Allergens
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contains sorbates.
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What E-MYCIN mixture contains
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Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
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E-MYCIN 200 - each 5 mL contains 200 mg of erythromycin (as erythromycin ethyl succinate)
E-MYCIN 400 - each 5 mL contains 400 mg of erythromycin (as erythromycin ethyl succinate)
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Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
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sorbitol
propylene glycol alginate
sodium citrate
colloidal anhydrous silica
aspartame
sodium benzoate
erythrosine CI45430
Trusil Nature Identical Dark Cherry Flavour 163837 (ID 11977)
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Allergens
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contains benzoates, aspartame, phenylalanine (warning for patients with phenylketonuria) and sorbitol (which may have a laxative effect or cause diarrhoea).
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Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
What E-MYCIN looks like
E-MYCIN tablet is 19 mm X 8.7 mm oval, normal convex, flesh pink film coated tablet
marked "E-N" on one side, "alpha symbol" on the reverse. Each pack contains 25 tablets.
(AUST R 71310).
E-MYCIN 200 mixture is pink free flowing granules. When reconstituted, pink suspension
with a cherry odour and flavour. Each bottle contains 100 mL of mixture. (AUST R 48286).
E-MYCIN 400 mixture is pink free flowing granules. When reconstituted, pink suspension
with a cherry odour and flavour. Each bottle contains 100 mL of mixture. (AUST R 48287).
Who distributes E-MYCIN
Alphapharm Pty Ltd trading as Viatris
Level 1, 30 The Bond
30-34 Hickson Road
Millers Point NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 274 276
This leaflet was prepared in January 2025.
E-MYCIN_cmi\Jan25/00