Lincomycin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Lincomycin is a medicine sold in the U.S. under 2 brand and generic names, for pneumococcal infections and staphylococcal infections. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Treats
- Pneumococcal Infections and Staphylococcal Infections
- Available as
- Injectable
- Sold as
- 2 products — Lincocin and Lincomycin Hydrochloride
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- Boxed warning
- Boxed warning
How lincomycin is dosed
From the FDA label for Lincomycin Hydrochloride (application ANDA215657). Other lincomycin products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
If significant diarrhea occurs during therapy, lincomycin injection should be discontinued. (see BOXED WARNING ) INTRAMUSCULAR— Adults: Serious infections —600 mg (2 mL) intramuscularly every 24 hours. More severe infections —600 mg (2 mL) intramuscularly every 12 hours or more often. Pediatric patients over 1 month of age: Serious infections —one intramuscular injection of 10 mg/kg (5 mg/lb) every 24 hours. More severe infections —one intramuscular injection of 10 mg/kg (5 mg/lb) every 12 hours or more often. INTRAVENOUS— Adults: The intravenous dose will be determined by the severity of the infection. For serious infections doses of 600 mg of lincomycin (2 mL of lincomycin injection) to 1 gram are given every 8 to 12 hours. For more severe infections these doses may have to be increased. In life-threatening situations daily intravenous doses of as much as 8 grams have been given. Intravenous doses are given on the basis of 1 gram of lincomycin diluted in not less than 100 mL of appropriate solution (see PHYSICAL COMPATIBILITIES ) and infused over a period of not less than one hour. Dose Vol. Diluent Time 600 mg 100 mL 1 hr 1 gram 100 mL 1 hr 2 grams 200 mL 2 hr 3 grams 300 mL 3 hr 4 grams 400 mL 4 hr These doses may be repeated as often as required to the limit of the maximum recommended daily dose of 8 grams of lincomycin. Pediatric patients over 1 month of age: 10 to 20…
Lincomycin side effects
The following adverse reactions have been reported with the use of lincomycin. Gastrointestinal disorders Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, glossitis, stomatitis, abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort † , anal pruritus Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders Toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, dermatitis bullous, dermatitis exfoliative, erythema multiforme (see WARNINGS ) , rash, urticaria, pruritus Infections and infestations Vaginal infection, pseudomembranous colitis, Clostridioides difficile colitis (see WARNINGS ) Blood and lymphatic system disorders Pancytopenia, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenic purpura Immune system disorders Anaphylactic reaction (see WARNINGS ), angioedema, serum sickness Hepatobiliary disorders Jaundice, liver function test abnormal, transaminases increased Renal and urinary disorders Renal impairment, oliguria, proteinuria, azotemia Cardiac disorders Cardio-respiratory arrest (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ) Vascular disorders Hypotension (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ), thrombophlebitis † Ear and labyrinth disorders Vertigo, tinnitus Neurologic disorders Headache, dizziness, somnolence General disorders and administration site conditions Injection site abscess sterile ‡ , injection site induration ‡ , injection site pain ‡ , injection site irritation ‡…
Who shouldn’t take lincomycin
Lincomycin injection is contraindicated in patients previously found to be hypersensitive to lincomycin or clindamycin.
Lincomycin drug interactions
Lincomycin has been shown to have neuromuscular blocking properties that may enhance the action of other neuromuscular blocking agents; therefore, it should be used with caution in patients receiving such agents.
Every lincomycin product we track (2)
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 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | No data | — | View → |
How long lincomycin keeps
No lincomycin label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does lincomycin expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsWhat people report to the FDA about lincomycin
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 40 reports naming lincomycin, and the FDA flagged 65% 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:
- drug hypersensitivity11 reports
- asthenia4 reports
- rash4 reports
- diarrhoea3 reports
- erythema3 reports
- gastrointestinal disorder3 reports
- pyrexia3 reports
- bone pain2 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean lincomycin 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 July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is lincomycin?
Lincomycin Hydrochloride is a medication used to treat Pneumococcal Infections, Staphylococcal Infections.
Can you take lincomycin 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 lincomycin 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 lincomycin sold under?
We track 2 lincomycin-containing products in the U.S.: Lincocin and Lincomycin Hydrochloride. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does lincomycin come in?
Across the brands we track, lincomycin is currently marketed as injectable, 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 lincomycin?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic lincomycin product 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). Lincomycin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/lincomycin
- MLA
- “Lincomycin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/lincomycin.
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 lincomycin on DailyMed (NIH) ↗ — including its boxed warning in full.