Benzylpenicillin
| Evidence Level: L5 | Predicted Indications: 7 |
Table of Contents
- Benzylpenicillin
- Pharmacist Assessment Report
- Benzylpenicillin: penicillin-class beta-lactam antibiotic → pericoronitis (pericoronitis)
- One-Sentence Summary
- Quick Overview
- Why is This Prediction Reasonable?
- Clinical Trial Evidence
- Literature Evidence
- Australia Market Information
- Safety Considerations
- Conclusion and Next Steps
- Disclaimer
Benzylpenicillin: penicillin-class beta-lactam antibiotic → pericoronitis (pericoronitis)
One-Sentence Summary
Benzylpenicillin is a penicillin-class antibiotic given by injection. The TxGNN model predicts it may be useful for pericoronitis, but no clinical trials and no publications were found in the data compiled for this report, so the prediction rests on the model score alone.
Quick Overview
| Item | Content |
|---|---|
| Original Indication | Not recorded in the local data |
| Predicted New Indication | pericoronitis |
| TxGNN Prediction Score | 0.9936 |
| Evidence Level | L5 |
| Australia Market Status | Listed on the PBS Schedule (1 of 1 items) – TGA (ARTG) registration status is not included in this data |
| Number of PBS Items | 1 (valid: 1) |
| Recommended Decision | Hold |
Why is This Prediction Reasonable?
Detailed mechanism of action data is not available in the data compiled for this report. Benzylpenicillin belongs to the penicillin class of antibiotics, which are generally active against streptococci and many oral anaerobic bacteria.
Pericoronitis is a polymicrobial infection (streptococci and anaerobes) of the tissue around a partially erupted tooth, usually a lower wisdom tooth. Benzylpenicillin’s activity against these organisms makes the prediction biologically plausible. However, the link currently rests only on the model score. Oral penicillins such as penicillin V and amoxicillin are the agents typically used in dental infections, and parenteral benzylpenicillin is generally reserved for severe infection.
Clinical Trial Evidence
Currently no related clinical trials registered.
Literature Evidence
Currently no related literature available.
Australia Market Information
| ARTG Number | Product Name | Dosage Form | Approved Indication |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARTG 1775K | BenPen | Powder for injection 600 mg (as sodium) | Not recorded in the local data |
Safety Considerations
- Drug Interactions (21 recorded interactions): the most important is methotrexate (Major), where penicillins can reduce methotrexate clearance and raise its toxicity. Moderate interactions include warfarin, dicoumarol, tetracycline-class antibiotics (doxycycline, minocycline, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, demeclocycline), chloramphenicol, ethinylestradiol, mycophenolic acid, picosulfuric acid, and radioactive iodide (I-123, I-131). Minor interactions include clarithromycin and erythromycin. Interactions of unknown severity are listed for salbutamol, acyclovir, gentamicin and levothyroxine.
Please refer to the TGA-approved Product Information (PI) for warnings and contraindications.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Decision: Hold
Rationale: The TxGNN score is high (0.9936), but there are no clinical trials or publications for pericoronitis, so the evidence level is L5. Established oral antibiotic options already exist for dental infections, and the case for parenteral benzylpenicillin is unproven.
To proceed, the following is needed:
- Clinical or observational studies of benzylpenicillin in pericoronitis
- Mechanism of action data and a comparison against current standard oral therapy
- Review of the TGA Product Information for warnings and contraindications
- Assessment of route suitability (injectable only in the local data) for dental infection
Disclaimer
This content is for research purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical validation is required before any clinical application.