Metronidazole (MNZ), marketed under the brand name Flagyl among others, is an antibiotic and antiprotozoal medication.[3] It is used either alone or with other antibiotics to treat pelvic inflammatory disease, endocarditis, and bacterial vaginosis. It is effective for dracunculiasis, giardiasis, trichomoniasis, and amebiasis.[3] It is the drug of choice for a first episode of mild-to-moderate Clostridium difficile colitis.[4] Metronidazole is available by mouth, as a cream, and intravenously.[3]
Starting at
2-(2-methyl-5-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethanol |
Pronunciation | /mɛtrəˈnaɪdəzoʊl/ |
Trade names | Flagyl, Metro, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | monograph |
Licence data | US FDA:link |
Pregnancy category |
AU: B2 US: B (No risk in non-human studies) |
Legal status |
AU: S4 (Prescription only) CA: ℞-only UK: POM (Prescription only) US: ℞-only |
Routes of administration |
oral, topical, rectal, IV, vaginal |
Bioavailability | 80% (oral), 60-80% (rectal), 20-25% (vaginal)[1][2] |
Protein binding | 20%[1][2] |
Metabolism | Hepatic[1][2] |
Biological half-life | 8 hours[1][2] |
Excretion | Urine (77%), faeces (14%)[1][2] |
CAS Number | 443-48-1 |
ATC code | A01AB17 , D06BX01, G01AF01, J01XD01, P01AB01, QP51AA01 |
PubChem | CID: 4173 |
DrugBank | DB00916 |
ChemSpider | 4029 |
UNII | 140QMO216E |
KEGG | D00409 |
ChEBI | CHEBI:6909 |
ChEMBL | CHEMBL137 |
NIAID ChemDB | 007953 |
Formula | C6H9N3O3 |
Molecular mass | 171.15 g/mol |
InChI[show] |
Melting point | 159 to 163 °C (318 to 325 °F) |