Cefoxitin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Cefoxitin is a cephalosporin antibacterial sold in the U.S. under 4 brand and generic names, for abscess, bacteroides infections and infectious bone diseases. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Cephalosporin Antibacterial
- Treats (across its forms)
- Abscess, Bacteroides Infections and Infectious Bone Diseases
- Available as
- Injectable · Powder
- Sold as
- 4 products — Mefoxin in Dextrose 5% in Plastic Container, Mefoxin in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container and Cefoxitin, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
How cefoxitin is dosed
From the FDA label for Cefoxitin (application ANDA065239). Other cefoxitin products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
The intent of this Pharmacy Bulk Package is for the preparation of solutions for intravenous infusion only. TREATMENT Adults The usual adult dosage range is 1 gram to 2 grams every six to eight hours. Dosage should be determined by susceptibility of the causative organisms, severity of infection, and the condition of the patient (see Table 3 for dosage guidelines). If C. trachomatis is a suspected pathogen, appropriate anti-chlamydial coverage should be added, because cefoxitin sodium has no activity against this organism. Cefoxitin for Injection may be used in patients with reduced renal function with the following dosage adjustments: In adults with renal insufficiency, an initial loading dose of 1 gram to 2 grams may be given. After a loading dose, the recommendations for maintenance dosage (Table 4) may be used as a guide. When only the serum creatinine level is available, the following formula (based on sex, weight, and age of the patient) may be used to convert this value into creatinine clearance. The serum creatinine should represent a steady state of renal function. Males: Weight (kg) x (140 - age) 72 x serum creatinine (mg/100 mL) Females: 0.85 x above value In patients undergoing hemodialysis, the loading dose of 1 gram to 2 grams should be given after each hemodialysis, and the maintenance dose should be given as indicated in Table 4. Antibiotic therapy for group A…
Cefoxitin side effects
Cefoxitin for Injection is generally well tolerated. The most common adverse reactions have been local reactions following intravenous injection. Other adverse reactions have been encountered infrequently. Local Reactions Thrombophlebitis has occurred with intravenous administration. Allergic Reactions Rash (including exfoliative dermatitis and toxic epidermal necrolysis), urticaria, flushing, pruritus, eosinophilia, fever, dyspnea, and other allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, interstitial nephritis and angioedema have been noted. Cardiovascular Hypotension. Gastrointestinal Diarrhea, including documented pseudomembranous colitis which can appear during or after antibiotic treatment. Nausea and vomiting have been reported rarely. Neuromuscular Possible exacerbation of myasthenia gravis. Blood Eosinophilia, leukopenia including granulocytopenia, neutropenia, anemia, including hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and bone marrow depression. A positive direct Coombs test may develop in some individuals, especially those with azotemia. Liver Function Transient elevations in SGOT, SGPT, serum LDH, and serum alkaline phosphatase; and jaundice have been reported. Renal Function Elevations in serum creatinine and/or blood urea nitrogen levels have been observed. As with the cephalosporins, acute renal failure has been reported rarely. The role of cefoxitin in changes in renal…
Who shouldn’t take cefoxitin
Cefoxitin for Injection is contraindicated in patients who have shown hypersensitivity to cefoxitin and the cephalosporin group of antibiotics.
Cefoxitin drug interactions
Increased nephrotoxicity has been reported following concomitant administration of cephalosporins and aminoglycoside antibiotics.
Every cefoxitin product we track (4)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | 70/100 | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 4 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → |
How long cefoxitin keeps
The date on a sealed pack is not the only one: some cefoxitin labels start a second clock once the product is opened or mixed, as short as 4 hours.
Does cefoxitin expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsCefoxitin and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for cefoxitin: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadSubstantial information indicates that cefoxitin produces low levels in milk that are not expected to cause adverse effects in breastfed infants. Combined use of cefoxitin and cefuroxime can alter the milk flora and infant fecal flora. Occasionally, diarrhea or thrush have been reported with cephalosporins, but these effects have not been adequately evaluated. Cefoxitin is acceptable in nursing mothers.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised September 19, 2022. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about cefoxitin
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 180 reports naming cefoxitin, and the FDA flagged 92% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- anaphylactic shock11 reports
- drug hypersensitivity11 reports
- pneumonia11 reports
- thrombocytopenia11 reports
- nausea10 reports
- rash10 reports
- diarrhoea9 reports
- pyrexia9 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean cefoxitin caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is cefoxitin?
Cefoxitin (Cefoxitin Sodium) is a cephalosporin antibacterial used to treat Abscess, Bacteroides Infections, Infectious Bone Diseases, Clostridium Infections.
What kind of drug is cefoxitin?
The FDA classifies cefoxitin as a cephalosporin antibacterial. Cephalosporins kill bacteria by blocking the proteins they use to build their cell walls. Without an intact wall, the bacterium cannot hold its shape and dies, which clears the infection. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take cefoxitin with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run cefoxitin against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is cefoxitin sold under?
We track 4 cefoxitin-containing products in the U.S.: Mefoxin in Dextrose 5% in Plastic Container, Mefoxin in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container, Cefoxitin and Cefoxitin in Plastic Container. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does cefoxitin come in?
Across the brands we track, cefoxitin is currently marketed as injectable and powder, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic cefoxitin?
Yes. Our catalog lists 2 generic cefoxitin products alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Cefoxitin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/cefoxitin
- MLA
- “Cefoxitin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/cefoxitin.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for cefoxitin on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.