Cefalexin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
Antibacterial drugs
Safety information for pregnancy and breastfeeding
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
Report a side effect
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Official medicine documents
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Cefalexin
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Report a side effect
Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Cefalexin
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EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
5 branded products available
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Cefalexin on the MHRA register
Cefalexin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
Cefalexin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
Cefalexin 250mg/5ml oral suspension sugar free
This is the NHS Drug Tariff indicative price used for reimbursement purposes. It may not reflect the price paid by patients or pharmacies.
View full Drug TariffSource: NHS Drug Tariff via NHSBSA. Derived from dm+d VMPP (Virtual Medicinal Product Pack) pricing data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
WHO defined daily dose (DDD)
2 gram
Not a recommended dose. The DDD is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used for its main indication in adults. It is a statistical measure used for research and comparison purposes only.
Source: WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology, distributed via NHS dm+d BNF mapping files. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and NHS BNF section grouping. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Clinical guidelines and formulary information
British National Formulary
Cefalexin
Source: British National Formulary, NICE. Joint Formulary Committee. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
NICE clinical guidance(11)
Pyelonephritis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG111)
Impetigo: antimicrobial prescribing (NG153)
Cellulitis and erysipelas: antimicrobial prescribing (NG141)
Urinary tract infection (catheter-associated): antimicrobial prescribing (NG113)
Human and animal bites: antimicrobial prescribing (NG184)
Urinary tract infection (lower): antimicrobial prescribing (NG109)
Urinary tract infection (recurrent): antimicrobial prescribing (NG112)
Insect bites and stings: antimicrobial prescribing (NG182)
Secondary bacterial infection of eczema and other common skin conditions: antimicrobial prescribing (NG190)
Diverticular disease: diagnosis and management (NG147)
Pneumonia: diagnosis and management (NG250)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
Pharmacy stock checkers
Search for this medicine at major UK pharmacy chains. These links open the retailer's own website — results depend on their current online catalogue.
Supply & product information
Official product databases and supply status monitoring
Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. emc (electronic medicines compendium) is operated by Datapharm Ltd. Shortage information sourced from NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS), sps.nhs.uk.
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. BNF codes from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
163 found
Half-life
49.5 minutes
Mechanism
Cephalexin is a first generation cephalosporin antibiotic.
Food interactions
1 warning
Human targets
None mapped
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
100%
[A179032][A179035]…
Half-life
49.5 minutes
Protein binding
10-15%
[A179053]
Volume of distribution
5.2-5.8L
[A179068]
Metabolism
[A179029][L6547][L6550][L6553]
Elimination
90%
[A179032]…
Clearance
376mL/min
[A179032]
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
[L6547][L6550][L6553]
These infections include respiratory tract infections, otitis media, skin and skin structure infections, bone infections, and genitourinary tract infections.
[L6547][L6550][L6553]
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 1345 interactions
[L6547]
An overdose is generally managed through supportive treatment as diuresis, dialysis, hemodialysis, and charcoal hemoperfusion are not well studied in this case.
[L6547]
The oral median lethal dose of cephalexin in rats is >5000 mg/kg. The oral LD50 in a monkey is >1g/kg and the lowest dose causing a toxic effect in humans is 14mg/kg.MSDS
Cephalexin has not been shown to be harmful in pregnancy and is not associated with teratogeniticy.
[L6547]
Cephalexin is present in breast milk, though infants may be exposed to <1% of the dose given to the mother.
[L6547]
The effects of breast milk exposure to cephalexin have not been established and so caution must be exercised and the risk and benefit of cephalexin use in breastfeeding must be weighed.
[L6547]
Cephalexin has not been studied for carcinogenicity or mutagenicity.
[L6547]
Cephalexin has no affect on fertility in rats.
[L6547]
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
[A179032][A179035]
Cephalexin is not absorbed in the stomach but is absorbed in the upper intestine.
[A179065]
Patients taking 250mg of cephalexin reach a maximum plasma concentration of 7.7mcg/mL and patients taking 500mg reach 12.3mcg/mL.
[A179026]
[A179032]
[A179053]
[A179068]
[A179029][L6547][L6550][L6553]
[A179032]
Cephalexin is unchanged in the urine.
[A179026][A179029][A179032]
[A179032]
Proteins that transport this drug across cell membranes
PMID:10454528 PMID:10525100 PMID:10966938 PMID:17509700 PMID:20722056 PMID:33124720
Also transports organic cations such as tetraethylammonium (TEA) without the involvement of sodium.
Relative uptake activity ratio of carnitine to TEA is 11.3 .
PMID:10454528 PMID:10525100 PMID:10966938
In intestinal epithelia, transports the quorum-sensing pentapeptide CSF (competence and sporulation factor) from B.subtilis which induces cytoprotective heat shock proteins contributing to intestinal homeostasis .
PMID:18005709
May also contribute to regulate the transport of organic compounds in testis across the blood-testis-barrier (Probable)
PMID:15521010 PMID:18367661 PMID:19685173 PMID:26320580 PMID:7896779 PMID:8914574 PMID:9835627
Primarily responsible for the absorption of dietary di- and tripeptides from the small intestinal lumen (By similarity). Mediates transepithelial transport of muramyl and N-formylated bacterial dipeptides contributing to recognition of pathogenic bacteria by the mucosal immune system PMID:15521010 PMID:9835627
PMID:16434549 PMID:18367661 PMID:7756356
Transports neutral and anionic dipeptides with a proton to peptide stoichiometry of 2:1 or 3:1 (By similarity). In kidney, involved in the absorption of circulating di- and tripeptides from the glomerular filtrate .
PMID:7756356
Can also transport beta-lactam antibiotics, such as the aminocephalosporin cefadroxil, and other antiviral and anticancer drugs .
PMID:16434549
Transports the dipeptide-like aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin (By similarity). Also able to transport carnosine .
PMID:31073693
Involved in innate immunity by promoting the detection of microbial pathogens by NOD-like receptors (NLRs) (By similarity).
Mediates transport of bacterial peptidoglycans across the plasma membrane or, in macrophages, the phagosome membrane: catalyzes the transport of certain bacterial peptidoglycans, such as muramyl dipeptide (MDP), the NOD2 ligand PMID:20406817
PMID:11669456 PMID:11907186 PMID:14675047 PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370 PMID:28534121 PMID:9950961
Mediates the uptake of OA across the basolateral side of proximal tubule epithelial cells, thereby contributing to the renal elimination of endogenous OA from the systemic circulation into the urine .
PMID:9887087
Functions as a biopterin transporters involved in the uptake and the secretion of coenzymes tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), dihydrobiopterin (BH2) and sepiapterin to urine, thereby determining baseline levels of blood biopterins .
PMID:28534121
Transports prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF2-alpha) and may contribute to their renal excretion .
PMID:11907186
Also mediates the uptake of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP and cGMP .
PMID:26377792
Involved in the transport of neuroactive tryptophan metabolites kynurenate (KYNA) and xanthurenate (XA) and may contribute to their secretion from the brain .
PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
May transport glutamate .
PMID:26377792
Also involved in the disposition of uremic toxins and potentially toxic xenobiotics by the renal organic anion secretory pathway, helping reduce their undesired toxicological effects on the body .
PMID:11669456 PMID:14675047
Uremic toxins include the indoxyl sulfate (IS), hippurate/N-benzoylglycine (HA), indole acetate (IA), 3-carboxy-4- methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionate (CMPF) and urate .
PMID:14675047 PMID:26377792
Xenobiotics include the mycotoxin ochratoxin (OTA) .
PMID:11669456
May also contribute to the transport of organic compounds in testes across the blood-testis-barrier PMID:35307651
PMID:16330770 PMID:17509534
Plays a physiological role in the excretion of cationic compounds including endogenous metabolites, drugs, toxins through the kidney and liver, into urine and bile respectively .
PMID:16330770 PMID:17495125 PMID:17509534 PMID:17582384 PMID:18305230 PMID:19158817 PMID:21128598 PMID:24961373
Mediates the efflux of endogenous compounds such as creatinine, vitamin B1/thiamine, agmatine and estrone-3-sulfate .
PMID:16330770 PMID:17495125 PMID:17509534 PMID:17582384 PMID:18305230 PMID:19158817 PMID:21128598 PMID:24961373
May also contribute to regulate the transport of cationic compounds in testis across the blood-testis-barrier (Probable)
PMID:14586168 PMID:15644426 PMID:15846473 PMID:16455804 PMID:31553721
Transports organic anions such as estrone 3-sulfate (E1S) and urate in exchange for dicarboxylates such as glutarate or ketoglutarate (2-oxoglutarate) .
PMID:14586168 PMID:15846473 PMID:15864504 PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
Plays an important role in the excretion of endogenous and exogenous organic anions, especially from the kidney and the brain .
PMID:11306713 PMID:14586168 PMID:15846473
E1S transport is pH- and chloride-dependent and may also involve E1S/cGMP exchange .
PMID:26377792
Responsible for the transport of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2(alpha) (PGF2(alpha)) in the basolateral side of the renal tubule .
PMID:11907186
Involved in the transport of neuroactive tryptophan metabolites kynurenate and xanthurenate .
PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
Functions as a biopterin transporters involved in the uptake and the secretion of coenzymes tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), dihydrobiopterin (BH2) and sepiapterin to urine, thereby determining baseline levels of blood biopterins .
PMID:28534121
May be involved in the basolateral transport of steviol, a metabolite of the popular sugar substitute stevioside .
PMID:15644426
May participate in the detoxification/ renal excretion of drugs and xenobiotics, such as the histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists fexofenadine and cimetidine, the antibiotic benzylpenicillin (PCG), the anionic herbicide 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetate (2,4-D), the diagnostic agent p-aminohippurate (PAH), the antiviral acyclovir (ACV), and the mycotoxin ochratoxin (OTA), by transporting these exogenous organic anions across the cell membrane in exchange for dicarboxylates such as 2-oxoglutarate .
PMID:11669456 PMID:15846473 PMID:16455804
Contributes to the renal uptake of potent uremic toxins (indoxyl sulfate (IS), indole acetate (IA), hippurate/N-benzoylglycine (HA) and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionate (CMPF)), pravastatin, PCG, E1S and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and is partly involved in the renal uptake of temocaprilat (an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor) .
PMID:14675047
May contribute to the release of cortisol in the adrenals .
PMID:15864504
Involved in one of the detoxification systems on the choroid plexus (CP), removes substrates such as E1S or taurocholate (TC), PCG, 2,4-D and PAH, from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the blood for eventual excretion in urine and bile (By similarity). Also contributes to the uptake of several other organic compounds such as the prostanoids prostaglandin E(2) and prostaglandin F(2-alpha), L-carnitine, and the therapeutic drugs allopurinol, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (By similarity). Mediates the transport of PAH, PCG, and the statins pravastatin and pitavastatin, from the cerebrum into the blood circulation across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
In summary, plays a role in the efflux of drugs and xenobiotics, helping reduce their undesired toxicological effects on the body (By similarity)
Proteins that carry this drug through the body
PMID:19021548
Major calcium and magnesium transporter in plasma, binds approximately 45% of circulating calcium and magnesium in plasma (By similarity).
Potentially has more than two calcium-binding sites and might additionally bind calcium in a non-specific manner (By similarity). The shared binding site between zinc and calcium at residue Asp-273 suggests a crosstalk between zinc and calcium transport in the blood (By similarity). The rank order of affinity is zinc > calcium > magnesium (By similarity).
Binds to the bacterial siderophore enterobactin and inhibits enterobactin-mediated iron uptake of E.coli from ferric transferrin, and may thereby limit the utilization of iron and growth of enteric bacteria such as E.coli .
PMID:6234017
Does not prevent iron uptake by the bacterial siderophore aerobactin PMID:6234017
ATC J01DB01
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
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Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
8376
ChemSpider
25541
BindingDB
50139896
ZINC
ZINC000003830500
UniProt Accession
Q75Y35_STREE
UniProt Accession
PBP2A_STRR6
GenBank Gene Database
AE007317
GenBank Protein Database
15457529
UniProt Accession
Q7CRA4_STRR6
GenBank Gene Database
X16022
GenBank Protein Database
984233
UniProt Accession
PBP2_STRR6
GenBank Gene Database
M90527
GenBank Protein Database
153767
UniProt Accession
PBPA_STRR6
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:399
GenAtlas
ALB
GeneCards
ALB
GenBank Gene Database
V00494
GenBank Protein Database
28590
UniProt Accession
ALBU_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10969
GenAtlas
SLC22A5
GeneCards
SLC22A5
GenBank Gene Database
AF057164
GenBank Protein Database
3273741
UniProt Accession
S22A5_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10920
GenAtlas
SLC15A1
GeneCards
SLC15A1
GenBank Gene Database
U13173
GenBank Protein Database
773588
Guide to Pharmacology
984
UniProt Accession
S15A1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10921
GenAtlas
SLC15A2
GeneCards
SLC15A2
GenBank Gene Database
S78203
GenBank Protein Database
999213
Guide to Pharmacology
985
UniProt Accession
S15A2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10970
GenAtlas
hROAT1
GeneCards
SLC22A6
GenBank Gene Database
AF057039
GenBank Protein Database
3831566
Guide to Pharmacology
1025
UniProt Accession
S22A6_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:25588
GeneCards
SLC47A1
GenBank Gene Database
AK001709
GenBank Protein Database
7023138
Guide to Pharmacology
1216
UniProt Accession
S47A1_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10972
GeneCards
SLC22A8
GenBank Gene Database
AF097491
GenBank Protein Database
4378059
Guide to Pharmacology
1027
UniProt Accession
S22A8_HUMAN
International reference pricing
Reference pricing from DrugBank. Prices are indicative and may not reflect current UK costs.
Source: DrugBank. Used under CC BY-NC 4.0 academic licence for non-commercial purposes.
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications: