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Macrolide drugs compared

Compare all 6 Macrolide drugs side by side, used for conditions such as acne vulgaris, campylobacter infections, chancroid. They share one FDA-defined mechanism but differ in approved uses, prescription status, brand-vs-generic options, price, and FDA recall-safety record — which our independent rating scores. The highest-rated is erythromycin ethylsuccinate.

Top-rated macrolide: 1. Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate · 2. Erythrocin · 3. E.E.S.

Macrolide drugs compared side by side, with pharmaranks' FDA recall-safety rating
DrugGenericSafety ratingFDA recall-based
Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate—70/100
ErythrocinErythromycin Lactobionate60/100
E.E.S.Erythromycin EthylsuccinateNot yet rated
E.E.S. 400Erythromycin EthylsuccinateNot yet rated
ErypedErythromycin EthylsuccinateNot yet rated
Erythromycin Lactobionate—Not yet rated

The safety rating column is unique to pharmaranks — an independent 0–100 score from FDA regulatory recall data. Higher is safer. Not medical advice.

Best macrolide by condition

for acne vulgarisfor campylobacter infectionsfor chancroidfor chlamydia infectionsfor erythrasmafor gastroenteritis

Full ranking · 6 drugs

  1. 1

    erythromycin ethylsuccinate

    Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

    70/100
  2. 2

    erythrocin

    Erythromycin Lactobionate

    60/100
  3. 3

    e.e.s.

    Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

    New
  4. 4

    e.e.s. 400

    Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

    New
  5. 5

    eryped

    Erythromycin Ethylsuccinate

    New
  6. 6

    erythromycin lactobionate

    Erythromycin Lactobionate

    New

Frequently asked questions

What is the Macrolide drug class?

Macrolide is an FDA Established Pharmacologic Class (EPC) — a group of drugs that share a mechanism of action. pharmaranks lists 6 Macrolide products, each independently rated.

Are all Macrolide drugs the same?

No. Macrolide drugs share the same core mechanism — that is why they sit in one FDA class — but they differ in their approved uses, available forms, whether they are prescription or over-the-counter, brand-vs-generic options and price, and their FDA recall-safety record.

What conditions do Macrolide drugs treat?

Per NIH RxClass drug-classification data, Macrolide drugs are used for conditions including acne vulgaris, campylobacter infections, chancroid, chlamydia infections, erythrasma, gastroenteritis.

Which Macrolide drug is best-rated?

By our independent rating, erythromycin ethylsuccinate currently ranks highest among Macrolide drugs. Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data — always consult a professional.

Sources: the Macrolide class definition and its member drugs come from the U.S. NLM RxClass (Established Pharmacologic Class); how the class works is summarized from Macrolides - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf. Ratings are pharmaranks’ independent FDA recall-safety analysis.