MedeliX
Start asking

Erythromycin

Erina, Eritro, Eritromüsk Ampul, Eritronal · ATC code J01FA01

Also known as: Eritromisin · Brand names: Aknemycin, Erythromycin Panpharma, Inderm, Erina, Eritro, Eritromüsk Ampul, Eritronal, Eritrosif, Ery, Ery-Tab

Key facts
Active substance
Erythromycin
Drug class
Macrolide antibiotic
ATC code
J01FA01
Authorisation
authorised nationally; no central EU authorisation
Information as of
2026-10-27

Key facts

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibacterial. Per the US label it treats infections caused by susceptible bacteria, including respiratory tract infections, and is used in rheumatic fever prophylaxis.

What it is used for

  • Mild to moderate upper and lower respiratory tract infections caused by susceptible streptococci (H. influenzae only with sulfonamides)
  • Listeriosis
  • Respiratory tract infections due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae
  • Further indications (e.g. chlamydial infections, syphilis, amebiasis) in the full text

Dosing

  • Optimal blood levels in the fasting state (at least ½ hour and preferably 2 hours before meals)
  • Adults: 250 mg four times daily or 500 mg every 12 hours; up to 4 g per day by severity; twice-daily dosing not recommended above 1 g daily
  • Children: usually 30 to 50 mg/kg/day in equally divided doses; may be doubled for severe infections but not above 4 g per day
  • Streptococcal upper respiratory tract infections: at least ten days
  • Urogenital chlamydial infection in pregnancy: 500 mg four times daily for at least 7 days; other regimens in the full text

Contraindications

  • Known hypersensitivity to erythromycin
  • Concomitant terfenadine, astemizole, cisapride, pimozide, ergotamine or dihydroergotamine
  • Concomitant lovastatin or simvastatin (risk of myopathy and rhabdomyolysis)

Important warnings

  • Hepatotoxicity: hepatic dysfunction, hepatocellular and/or cholestatic hepatitis
  • QT prolongation and torsades de pointes, with fatalities; avoid with known QT prolongation, uncorrected hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia, bradycardia and Class IA or III antiarrhythmics
  • Erythromycin may not reach the fetus in adequate concentration to prevent congenital syphilis
  • Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea

Side effects

  • Most frequent are gastrointestinal and dose-related: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, anorexia
  • Hepatic dysfunction, pseudomembranous colitis, QT prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias
  • Allergic reactions up to anaphylaxis; rarely severe skin reactions; reversible hearing loss mainly in renal insufficiency or at high doses

Interactions

  • CYP3A4 substrates: colchicine toxicity, rhabdomyolysis with simvastatin, lovastatin and atorvastatin, hypotension with calcium channel blockers (e.g. verapamil, amlodipine, diltiazem)
  • Class IA (quinidine, procainamide) or Class III (dofetilide, amiodarone, sotalol) antiarrhythmics: QT risk

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

  • No evidence of teratogenicity in animal studies; infants of mothers treated with oral erythromycin for early syphilis should receive a penicillin regimen
  • Erythromycin is excreted in human milk; caution when nursing

Summary of the official product information, written with AI (Claude, Anthropic) on 2026-10-28. Every number was checked automatically against the original text. Not reviewed by a physician – the full official text is authoritative.

Full official text →

Common questions – ask Medelix

For patients

Patient information (US)

This product has no separate US patient information.

Authorisation and brand names by country

Medicines with exactly this active-substance composition, as listed in the national registers – alphabetical and without ranking. Whether a product is currently available is not shown here.

Germany

  • AknemycinAlmirall Hermal Gmbh · 1 register entry
  • Erythromycin PanpharmaPanpharma · 1 register entry
  • IndermDermapharm Ag · 1 register entry

Source: EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), as of 2026-10-28

Turkey

  • ErinaNOBEL İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 1 register entry
  • EritroKOÇAK FARMA İLAÇ VE KİMYA SAN. A.Ş. · 1 register entry
  • Eritromüsk AmpulNOBEL İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 2 register entries
  • EritronalNOBEL İLAÇ SAN. VE TİC. A.Ş. · 9 register entries
  • EritrosifSİFAR İLAÇLARI TİC. VE SAN. A.Ş. · 1 register entry

Source: TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, as of 2026-10-16

USA

  • EryPadagis Israel Pharmaceuticals Ltd · 3 register entries
  • Ery-TabArbor Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · 1 register entry

Source: U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), as of 2026-10-28

Brand names in 22 more European countries
Belgium
Erycine, Erythrocine, Erythroforte, Inderm Lotion, Inderm Lotioni
Croatia
Eritromicin Belupo
Cyprus
Ermyced, Ermycin
Czechia
Aknemycin
Denmark
Abboticin, Erythromycin Panpharma
Finland
Abboticin, Erythromycin Panpharma
France
Ery, Eryfluid, Erythrogel, Erythromycine Bailleul, Erythromycine Panpharma, Erythromycine Stragen
Greece
Acne Hermal, Dankit
Hungary
Aknemycin
Ireland
Erythrocin
Italy
Eritromicina Idi
Latvia
Erythromycin Tzf
Lithuania
Erythromycin Tc
Luxembourg
Aknemycin, Ery, Erythrocine I.V.
Netherlands
Erythrocine, Inderm
Norway
Abboticin, Ery-Max, Erythromycin Panpharma
Poland
Aknemycin, Cusi, Erythromycinum Tzf
Portugal
Akne-Mycin, Clinac, Eritrocina I.V.
Romania
Eritromicină Atb
Slovakia
Aknemycin, Eryfluid
Spain
Eritromicina Panpharma, Oftalmolosa Cusí Eritromicina
Sweden
Abboticin, Ery-Max, Erythromycin Panpharma

EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28

Medelix receives no money from pharmaceutical companies. Brand names are listed alphabetically and without ranking.

Other substances in the same group

Related calculators

Another question about this substance?

Medelix answers clinical questions from guidelines, studies and product information – every claim with its source.

Sources

  1. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Erythromycin (Torrent Pharmaceuticals Limited) – Prescribing Information, 2026-03-05. DailyMed (NLM), 2026-10-27. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=933049f6-61b9-4ed5-b6b7-60c5037e2115
  2. EMA – Article 57 product data (EU/EEA), 2026-10-28. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/human-regulatory-overview/post-authorisation/data-medicines-iso-idmp-standards-post-authorisation/public-data-article-57-database
  3. TİTCK – Ruhsatlı Beşeri Tıbbi Ürünler Listesi, 2026-10-16. https://www.titck.gov.tr/dinamikmodul/85
  4. U.S. FDA – Drug labels (openFDA/DailyMed), 2026-10-28. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/
  5. Wikidata (CC0): ATC J01FA.

Editorial: Medelix editorial team · last updated 2026-10-27 · How these pages are made · Report an error

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), prescribing information, via DailyMed (NLM); public domain. Not advertising, not a treatment recommendation. For questions about your own treatment, ask your doctor or pharmacist.