Cephadex 500 mg

Medically Reviewed by

Dr. Akanksha Kaushal

Dr. Akanksha, Pharm-D

Dr. Akansha is a licensed Clinical Pharmacologist with extensive expertise in pharmacovigilance, prescription analysis, drug information, and safety. She's a dedicated educator and avid learner. Dr. Akansha also reviews medical content on GoodRx Medicine, ensuring accurate pharmaceutical information is accessible to all.

Written by

Julian Carter

Julian Carter

Julian, an MBA in Pharmaceutical Management, brings a dynamic blend of expertise and impact with his contributions at Goodrxmedicine. His dedication and innovative spirit continue to shape a brighter future in pharmaceutical management.

About the brand name of the drug:

Cephadex 500 mg (Cephalexin) is the broad spectrum antibiotic capsules. These capsules are manufactured by Indian company Cipla Limited. The major API responsible for its action is Cephalexin which belongs to the class of drug known as Cephalosporins (Antibiotics). Cephadex 500 mg is used for the treatment of various infectious diseases.

About the drug:

Cephadex 500 mg contains Cephalexin as Active pharmaceutical ingredient.
It is available in various dosage strengths of;
125mg; 250mg; 500mg
It is easily available at nearby medical stores, chemist’s shops and drug stores. These are also available on e-pharmacies.
The prescription by the doctor is compulsory for the purchase of the drug.
Some other brands which are equivalent to the Cephadex 500 mg;
• Cefacure 500 mg capsule
• Cephmix 500 mg capsule
• Cephalkem 500 mg capsule
• Lecef 500 mg capsule
• Staphydex 500 mg capsule

About the salt of the drug:

Cephalexin is a broad spectrum antibiotic belonging to the class Cephalosporins. It stops the formation of the cell wall of the bacteria. This results in the damaging of the cell wall of the bacteria. Hence, disease-causing bacteria dies. This prevents the spreading of the infection and treatment for the infection. Cephalexin is used in the treatment of infectious diseases like;
• Skin infection
• Bladder infection

Medical uses of the drug:

Cephadex 500 mg is used in the treatment of following medical conditions;
• Ear infection (Otitis Media)
• Respiratory tract infection (Pharyngitis)
• Urinary tract infection (Cystitis)
• Skin infection (Dermatitis)
• Bone infection (Osteomyelitis)
• Kidney infection (Pyelonephritis)

Working of the drug:

Cephadex 500 mg consists of Cephalexin as an active ingredient which is the first class of Cephalosporin (broad-spectrum antibiotics). Cephadex 500 mg works as a Bactericidal drug, which inhibits the bacterial cell wall synthesis. It gets attached to the penicillin-binding proteins by preventing the formation of the cell wall in the bacteria. This inhibits the growth and multiplication of the bacteria. Thus, it stops the spreading of the infection further.

Side effects:

The following side effects can be seen during the use of Cephadex 500 mg;
• Persistent diarrhea (with the presence of blood and mucus in the stool)
• Abdominal pain
• Dark or clay-colored stools
• Fever
• Itching or rash
• Joint pain
• Swelling of face and lips
• Dark urine
• Loss of appetite
• Dizziness
• Yellow colored eyes or skin
• Oral thrush
In case of severity in the side effects, patients should immediately concern doctors or physicians.

How to use:

Cephadex 500 mg should be used only by the prescription given by medical practitioner, physician or doctor. The instructions given by the doctors should keep in mind before the use of the drug. During the administration of cephadex 500 mg, the following instructions should be kept in mind;

• The capsule must be taken as a whole with the glass of water
• The capsule should not be broken into half
• Allergy check must be done prior to the use of cephadex 500 mg
• Cephadex 500 mg can be administered before or after the meals as prescribed by the doctor
• Do not take the dose larger than advised
• Consult your physician on experiencing any severe form of side effects
• Do not stop taking the Cephadex 500 mg before the completion of the course given by the physician
• Read the instructions carefully which are given on the label of the pack before use

Drugs that are known to interact with Cephadex 500 mg:

Drug interactions are the common phenomenon with the use of the two or more drugs at the same time. This generally happens when the patient is on multiple medication therapies. The following is the list of some potent drugs which interact with the Cephadex 500 mg;

• Chloramphenicol: This drug decreases the action of Cephadex 500 mg. So, if these two are prescribed together, dose-alterations or substitution of the drugs must be done, with the consent of the physician
• Metformin: Use of these two drugs together results in the lowering of the blood glucose level in the body. Blood glucose level monitoring must be done if the co-administration of these two drugs are mandatory
• Ethinyl estradiol: The effect of ethinyl estradiol is decreased if these two drugs are taken at a time. Suitable dose adjustments or alterations in the drugs must be done with the help of a physician
• Cholera vaccine: Usage of antibiotics and vaccines should be avoided together as antibiotics nullify the effects of vaccines

When to avoid taking the drug

Cephadex 500 mg might exhibit severe adverse reaction in certain cases and hence administration of Cephadex 500 mg should be avoided. Cephadex 500 mg should be avoided in the following conditions;

• Avoid Cephadex 500 mg if you are allergic to it or if you are allergic to any cephalosporin drugs
• Avoid administration of Cephadex 500 mg, if the patient is also suffering from Colitis as it triggers the side effects of bowel movement along with blood and mucus discharge in stool
• Avoid Cephadex 500 mg if the person is suffering from seizure disorders, as it triggers the seizures in the patient
• Prior check-up for the drug resistance must be done because long term use of cephalosporins results in resistance towards the drug. Hence, any kind of therapeutic action cannot be seen in a patient by the use of Cephadex 500 mg
• The drug should be avoided by the patients suffering from renal and liver failure

Things to avoid when using the drug:

During the use of Cephadex 500 mg, avoid consumption of the following things;
• Avoid dairy products like Milk, Curd, and Cheese during the usage of Cephadex 500 mg as the dairy products contains a high amount of calcium which can alter the absorption of the drug into the body. This results in nullifying the action of the drug
• Avoid Grapes and Grape juice, because Grapes acts as cyp40 enzyme inducer which increases the metabolism of the drug by reducing its action
• Avoid dietary supplements contains minerals like calcium as it affects the absorption of the drug

General information and precautions:

• Keep the drug away from the sight and reach of the children
• Consult the physician for any kind of allergy and drug resistance by the patients for cephalosporins
• Cephadex 500 mg should not be taken along with the calcium-containing foods or drinks

Precautions:

• Alcohol- There is no specific indication for the consumption of drug along with alcohol but strictly avoid the alcohol-containing Grape extracts
• Pregnancy- Consult the doctor before use of Cephadex 500 mg during pregnancy because pregnancy medication mostly consist of calcium supplements which should be avoided with the drug
• Driving- Although Cephadex 500 mg use during driving doesn’t cause any effect but careful instruction must be followed because the use of this drug produces dizziness and tiredness
• Organ failure- Avoid use of Cephadex 500 mg if the patient is also suffering from renal or liver failure
• Lactation- Consult a doctor for the use of Cephadex 500 mg during lactation because dose more than 1mg by mother’s milk in newborn and infants disturbs the gastrointestinal flora (useful bacteria which helps in digestion) in their stomach

Storage:

• Cephadex 500 mg must be stored away from the sunlight, heat, and moisture
• It should be kept in a dark, dry and cool place
• Special care must be taken to prohibit moisture as the capsules have the capability to absorb moisture

General FAQs regarding the drug:

What should be done if the dose is missed?

Ans. The missed should be taken as soon as possible, avoid the missed dose if it’s time for the next scheduled dose.

What should be done in case of an overdose?

Ans. Immediately seek the medical treatment in case of overdosing by consulting your physician or doctor

What is the general dose quantity and dose interval for Cephadex 500 mg?

Ans. Take one capsule of Cephadex 500 mg for every 6 hours, according to the doctor’s prescription but not more than that as it might results in overdosing.