Last update Nov. 8, 2024

Dirithromycin

Likely Compatibility

Fairly safe. Mild or unlikely adverse effects. Compatible under certain circumstances. Follow-up recommended. Read Commentary.

Dirithromycin is a prodrug of erythromycylamine, with properties similar to those of erythromycin. It is used in infections of the respiratory tract, skin and soft tissues. Oral administration once daily.

At the date of the last update we found no published data on its excretion in breast milk.

Its high molecular weight makes it difficult to pass into breast milk.

Its low oral bioavailability makes it difficult to pass into infant plasma from ingested breast milk (Chin 2001), except in premature infants and immediate neonatal period in which there may be greater intestinal permeability.

Pending further published data on this drug in relation to lactation, safer known alternatives may be preferable, especially during the neonatal period and in case of prematurity.

Alternatives

  • Azithromycin (Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Clarithromycin (Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Erythromycin (Fairly safe. Mild or unlikely adverse effects. Compatible under certain circumstances. Follow-up recommended. Read Commentary.)

Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.

Jose Maria Paricio, Founder & President of APILAM/e-Lactancia

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Other names

Dirithromycin in other languages or writings:

  • ديريثروميسين (Arabic)
  • Диритромицин (Cyrillic)
  • 地红霉素 (Chinese)
  • ジリスロマイシン (Japanese)
  • (9S)-9-Deoxo-11-deoxy-9,11-{imino[(1R)-2-(2-methoxyethoxy)-ethylidene]oxy}erythromycin; (1R,2R,3R,6R,7S,8S,9R,10R,12R,13S,15R,17S)-7-(2,6-Dideoxy-3-C,3-O-dimethyl-α-l-ribo-hexopyranosyloxy)-3-ethyl-2,10-dihydroxy-15-(2-methoxyethoxymethyl)-2,6,8,10,12,17-hexamethyl-9-(3,4,6-trideoxy-3-dimethylamino-β-l-xylo-hexopyranosyloxy)-4,16-dioxa-14-azabicyclo[11.3.1]heptadecan-5-one (Chemical name)
  • C42H78N2O14 (Molecular formula)
  • J01FA13 (ATC Code/s)

Group

Dirithromycin belongs to this group or family:

Tradenames

Main tradenames from several countries containing Dirithromycin in its composition:

Pharmacokinetics

Variable Value Unit
Oral Bioavail. 10 - 14 %
Molecular weight 837 daltons
Protein Binding 15 - 30 %
Tmax 4 hours
T½ 8 (2 - 33) hours

References

  1. Chin KG, McPherson CE 3rd, Hoffman M, Kuchta A, Mactal-Haaf C. Use of anti-infective agents during lactation: Part 2--Aminoglycosides, macrolides, quinolones, sulfonamides, trimethoprim, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, and metronidazole. J Hum Lact. 2001 Feb;17(1):54-65. Abstract

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e-lactancia is a resource recommended by Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine - 2012 of United States of America

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