Side effects of penicillin

The side effects of penicillin are bodily responses to penicillin and closely related antibiotics that do not relate directly to the drug's effect on bacteria. The source defines a side effect as one that is not intended with normal dosing, and says some are visible while others occur in the body's organs or blood. Some side effects are predictable: some are common but not serious, some are uncommon and serious, and others are rare. The route of administration matters, for example irritation and inflammation at a peripheral infusion site when penicillin is given intravenously, and the different penicillin medications and derived beta-lactam antibiotics such as amoxicillin are covered. Some effects pass quickly, some can be relieved without drugs, and some require treatment because reactions can be serious and sometimes fatal. The source states that penicillin has not been found to cause birth defects. The Medicine Atlas offers no medical advice.