clindamycin phosphate
Clindamycin Phosphate is a lincosamide antibacterial used to treat Acne Vulgaris, Actinomycetales Infections, Bacteroides Infections, Pneumocystis Pneumonia.
Lincosamide Antibacterial · by Encube
Generic of Clindesse
⚠ FDA reports a current shortage of the injection form — availability differs between suppliers — see drug shortages →Key facts
- Active ingredient
- Clindamycin Phosphate
- Drug class
- Lincosamide Antibacterial
- Form
- Topical
- Strength
- Clindamycin Phosphate EQ 1% Base
- Type
- Prescription (Rx)
- Brand or generic
- Generic
- Manufacturer
- Encube
- Half-life
- about 2.4 hours (how long it stays in your system)
- What the pharmacy pays
- ~$0.18 per gm — not your price
- FDA application
- ANDA212438
What is Clindamycin Phosphate?
From the FDA label:Clindamycin phosphate gel USP, 1% contains clindamycin phosphate, USP, at a concentration equivalent to 10 mg clindamycin per gram. Clindamycin phosphate is a water soluble ester of the semi-synthetic antibiotic produced by a 7(S)-chloro-substitution of the 7(R)-hydroxyl group of the parent antibiotic lincomycin. The gel contains allantoin, carbomer 934P, methylparaben, polyethylene glycol 400, propylene glycol, purified water and sodium hydroxide. The structural formula is represented below: The chemical name for clindamycin phosphate is Methyl 7-chloro-6,7,8-trideoxy-6-(1 methyl- trans -4-propyl-L-2-pyrrolidinecarboxamido)-1-thio-L- threo -α-D- galacto octopyranoside 2-(dihydrogen phosphate). structure
How to use
Apply a thin film of clindamycin phosphate gel USP 1% twice daily to affected area. Keep container tightly closed.
Side effects
In 18 clinical studies of various formulations of clindamycin phosphate using placebo vehicle and/or active comparator drugs as controls, patients experienced a number of treatment emergent adverse dermatologic events [see table below]. Number of Patients Reporting Events Treatment Emergent Adverse Event Solution n= 553(%) Gel n= 148(%) Lotion n= 160 (%) Burning 62 (11) 15 (10) 17 (11) Itching 36 ( 7) 15 (10) 17 (11) Burning/Itching 60 (11) # ( – ) # ( – ) Dryness 105 (19) 34 (23) 29 (18) Erythema 86 (16) 10 ( 7) 22 (14) Oiliness/Oily Skin 8 ( 1) 26 (18) 12* (10) Peeling 61 (11) # ( – ) 11 ( 7) # not recorded * of 126 subjects Orally and parenterally administered clindamycin has been associated with severe colitis which may end fatally. Cases of diarrhea, bloody diarrhea and colitis (including pseudomembranous colitis) have been reported as adverse reactions in patients treated with oral and parenteral formulations of clindamycin and rarely with topical clindamycin (see WARNINGS ). Abdominal pain, gastrointestinal disturbances, gram-negative folliculitis, eye pain and contact dermatitis have also been reported in association with the use of topical formulations of clindamycin.
Warnings
Important safety information
Orally and parenterally administered clindamycin has been associated with severe colitis which may result in patient death. Use of the topical formulation of clindamycin results in absorption of the antibiotic from the skin surface. Diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, and colitis (including pseudomembranous colitis) have been reported with the use of topical and systemic clindamycin. Studies indicate a toxin(s) produced by clostridia is one primary cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. The colitis is usually characterized by severe persistent diarrhea and severe abdominal cramps and may be associated with the passage of blood and mucus. Endoscopic examination may reveal pseudomembranous colitis. Stool culture for Clostridium difficile and stool assay for C. difficile toxin may be helpful diagnostically. When significant diarrhea occurs, the drug should be discontinued. Large bowel endoscopy should be considered to establish a definitive diagnosis in cases of severe diarrhea. Antiperistaltic agents such as opiates and diphenoxylate with atropine may prolong and/or worsen the condition. Vancomycin has been found to be effective in the treatment of antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis produced by Clostridium difficile . The usual adult dosage is 500 milligrams to 2 grams of vancomycin orally per day in three to four divided doses administered for 7 to 10 days. Cholestyramine or colestipol resins bind vancomycin in vitro . If both a resin and vancomycin are to be administered concurrently, it may be advisable to separate the time of administration of each drug. Diarrhea, colitis, and pseudomembranous colitis have been observed to begin up to several weeks following cessation of oral and parenteral therapy with clindamycin.
Who should not take Clindamycin Phosphate
Clindamycin phosphate gel is contraindicated in individuals with a history of hypersensitivity to preparations containing clindamycin or lincomycin, a history of regional enteritis or ulcerative colitis, or a history of antibiotic-associated colitis.
Overdose — what happens if you take too much
Topically applied clindamycin phosphate can be absorbed in sufficient amounts to produce systemic effects (see WARNINGS ).
U.S. Poison Control: call or text 1-800-222-1222 (free, 24/7). In an emergency call 911. From the FDA label; not medical advice.
Interactions
Clindamycin 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.
How long does Clindamycin Phosphate stay in your body?
The elimination half-life of clindamycin phosphate is about 2.4 hours — the time it takes the body to clear about half of it. As a rule of thumb, a medicine is mostly gone after roughly 4 to 5 half-lives, though this varies from person to person with age and kidney or liver function. The label gives an average biological (elimination) half-life of 2.4 hours for oral clindamycin hydrochloride, the active form. It runs slightly longer in older adults (about 4.0 hours, range 3.4–5.1, vs 3.2 hours, range 2.1–4.2, in younger adults) and is increased slightly in people with markedly reduced kidney or liver function. Clindamycin palmitate (oral pediatric solution) and clindamycin phosphate (injection) are inactive prodrugs that are hydrolyzed in the body to this same active clindamycin. Half-life reflects how fast the drug leaves the blood, not how long a drug test can detect it.
This is general information, not medical advice. It doesn’t tell you when a drug test would read negative (tests detect substances for different, often longer, windows) or when it’s safe to take another dose — ask your pharmacist or prescriber. Source: CLEOCIN HYDROCHLORIDE (clindamycin hydrochloride) capsule — FDA label, DailyMed.
Drug class
How this class works, per Clindamycin - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf.
May treat (source: NIH RxClass)
- acne vulgaris
- actinomycetales infections
- bacteroides infections
- pneumocystis pneumonia
- staphylococcal infections
- streptococcal infections
See how Clindamycin Phosphate ranks — best-rated lincosamide antibacterial for:
Dosage forms
Topical
The forms currently marketed in the U.S., per the FDA National Drug Code Directory.
Ways to save
Ask for the generic
Same active ingredient, far cheaper. Is there a generic? →
Request a 90-day supply
Bulk fills usually lower the per-dose price vs monthly refills.
Use copay cards
Manufacturer copay cards & patient-assistance programs — especially for brand drugs.
Compare alternatives
A same-class option may cost less. See alternatives →
Frequently asked questions
- What does Clindamycin Phosphate treat?
- Clindamycin Phosphate (Clindamycin Phosphate) may be used to treat acne vulgaris, actinomycetales infections, bacteroides infections, pneumocystis pneumonia, staphylococcal infections, streptococcal infections, based on NIH RxClass drug-classification data (conditions a drug may treat — not a verbatim copy of the FDA-approved label). This is general reference, not medical advice.
- How does Clindamycin Phosphate work?
- Clindamycin Phosphate is a lincosamide antibacterial. Lincosamides such as clindamycin attach to the bacterial ribosome, the cell's protein-building machine, and stop it from linking amino acids together. Because the bacteria can no longer make the proteins they need, their growth is halted or, depending on the organism and dose, they are killed.
- How much does Clindamycin Phosphate cost?
- Nobody can tell you what you will pay — your price is set by your insurer's formulary, your deductible and the pharmacy's markup, and none of those are published. What IS published is what the pharmacy paid to acquire it: about $0.18 per gm, per the CMS NADAC survey. Treat that as the floor, not the quote — ask the pharmacist for the cash price as well as your copay, because for cheap generics the cash price often wins.
- Is there a coupon or discount for Clindamycin Phosphate?
- pharmaranks is an independent ratings site, not a pharmacy — we don't issue coupons or sell Clindamycin Phosphate. To pay less, Clindamycin Phosphate is already a generic — usually the lowest-cost version — so the main levers are comparing cash prices between pharmacies and using a pharmacy discount-card service. Prices vary by pharmacy, insurance, and location, so always confirm at the counter. This is general reference, not medical or financial advice.
- Who makes Clindamycin Phosphate?
- Clindamycin Phosphate is marketed by Encube. You can see Encube's full profile, rating, and other products on pharmaranks.
- Is Clindamycin Phosphate a brand-name or generic drug?
- Clindamycin Phosphate is a generic medication; its active ingredient is Clindamycin Phosphate. Generics contain the same active ingredient as the brand-name original and are usually lower cost.
- Is Clindamycin Phosphate available over the counter?
- No. Clindamycin Phosphate is a prescription (Rx) medication in the US — you need a prescription from a licensed clinician (in person or via telehealth); it isn't sold over the counter. For some conditions there are OTC alternatives — ask your pharmacist.
- What forms does Clindamycin Phosphate come in?
- Clindamycin Phosphate is currently marketed as topical, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory.
- What class of drug is Clindamycin Phosphate?
- Clindamycin Phosphate is classified as lincosamide antibacterial, per the FDA's Established Pharmacologic Class.
- Is Clindamycin Phosphate FDA-registered?
- Clindamycin Phosphate is on record with the U.S. FDA under application number ANDA212438. You can verify this on its official FDA label.
- Is Clindamycin Phosphate safe?
- There's no single safe-or-not verdict, and we don't yet have a composite recall-safety score for Clindamycin Phosphate. Review its FDA-label side effects and warnings below, and always consult a licensed professional.
- What are the side effects of Clindamycin Phosphate?
- Clindamycin Phosphate's side effects are taken directly from its FDA label. From the label: In 18 clinical studies of various formulations of clindamycin phosphate using placebo vehicle and/or active comparator drugs as controls, patients experienced a number of treatment emergent adverse dermatologic events [see table below].… Both common and serious reactions are documented in full on this page. This is general reference from the FDA, not medical advice — always consult a professional.
Clinical content sourced from the FDA label via openFDA (U.S. FDA). View the FDA label on DailyMed → Provided for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional and the current prescribing information.
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