Cefotaxime Injection
Cefotaxime Injection is a cephalosporin antibiotic given by injection into a muscle or vein to treat serious bacterial infections (lungs, urinary tract, gynecologic, blood, skin, abdomen, bone and joint, and brain and spinal cord) and to help prevent infection after certain surgeries.
🧬 Where this information comes from Click to expand
The clinical label records used on this page are FDA-filed Structured Product Labeling (SPL) retrieved through openFDA. We identified 3 clinical label sets within the page’s selected clinical scope after exact ingredient or ingredient-combination matching and applicable route/form matching. Forms, routes, brands, labelers, strengths, and NDC product-record counts are built separately from matching FDA National Drug Code Directory records. The linked DailyMed document is a representative official source for verification, not the page’s only clinical source. View the linked label on DailyMed →
Cefotaxime (Claforan) is an older hospital standby from the cephalosporin family. It has been on the market since about 1981 and is available as a generic. It kills bacteria by blocking how they build their cell walls, and it is given into a muscle or vein for serious infections (from pneumonia to blood and brain infections) and to help prevent infection around some surgeries. Most people tolerate it well, noticing at most soreness where it goes in, a rash, or loose stools. Before the first dose, tell your care team about any penicillin or cephalosporin allergy and any kidney problems, then report severe diarrhea, rash, or trouble breathing right away.
Clinical pearls
- Severe or lasting diarrhea up to two months after the last dose can mean C. difficile, so still report it.
- Confusion, twitching, or seizures can signal buildup, mostly with high doses and weak kidneys, which are common in older adults.
- Mention ibuprofen-type pain relievers, furosemide, or probenecid, since they can add kidney strain or keep cefotaxime around longer.
- Report a racing or irregular heartbeat during an IV dose, because rapid central-line injection has caused dangerous rhythm problems.
Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Cefotaxime Injection, written from its FDA label.
What Cefotaxime Injection is used for
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Cefotaxime Injection treats serious bacterial infections and helps prevent some surgical infections.
- Lower respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia
- Urinary tract infections and uncomplicated gonorrhea
- Gynecologic infections, including pelvic inflammatory disease, endometritis and pelvic cellulitis
- Bacteremia and septicemia (bacteria in the blood)
- Skin and skin structure infections
- Intra-abdominal infections, including peritonitis
- Bone and joint infections
- Central nervous system infections, such as meningitis and ventriculitis
- Prevention of infection after certain contaminated or potentially contaminated surgeries, including cesarean section
How Cefotaxime Injection works
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Cefotaxime kills bacteria by stopping them from building their cell walls. Without a strong wall, the bacteria cannot survive.
Resistance can happen when bacteria break the drug down with enzymes, change the proteins it targets, or let less of it in. Most bacteria that make ESBL or carbapenemase enzymes are resistant, and many Enterococcus strains are naturally resistant.
Cefotaxime Injection dosage
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Cefotaxime Injection is given into a muscle or vein by a healthcare professional after mixing. Timing ranges from a single dose to doses every few hours, depending on the infection.
- Before surgery, it is usually given shortly beforehand.
- Treatment generally continues for at least 48 to 72 hours after fever resolves or the infection clears. Some infections need 10 days or several weeks.
- If you think you missed a dose, contact your care team.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Cefotaxime Injection prescribing information (“Dosage and Administration”). Doses are set by your prescriber for your product, condition, kidney function and age — never change a dose on your own.
- Gonococcal urethritis/cervicitis in males and females
- 0.5 gram IM (single dose)
- Daily dose 0.5 grams
- Rectal gonorrhea in females
- 0.5 gram IM (single dose)
- Daily dose 0.5 grams
- Rectal gonorrhea in males
- 1 gram IM (single dose)
- Daily dose 1 gram
- Uncomplicated infections
- 1 gram every 12 hours IM or IV
- Daily dose 2 grams
- Maximum: The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 12 grams
- Moderate to severe infections
- 1-2 grams every 8 hours IM or IV
- Daily dose 3-6 grams
- Maximum: The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 12 grams
- Infections commonly needing antibiotics in higher dosage (e.g., septicemia)
- 2 grams every 6-8 hours IV
- Daily dose 6-8 grams
- Maximum: The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 12 grams
- Life-threatening infections
- 2 grams every 4 hours IV
- Daily dose up to 12 grams
- Maximum: 12 grams daily
- Prevention of postoperative infection in contaminated or potentially contaminated surgery
- Single 1 gram IM or IV administered 30 to 90 minutes prior to start of surgery
- Cesarean section patients
- First dose of 1 gram IV as soon as the umbilical cord is clamped
- Second and third doses 1 gram IV or IM at 6 and 12 hours after the first dose
- Neonates (birth to 1 month)
- 0-1 week of age: 50 mg/kg per dose every 12 hours IV
- 1-4 weeks of age: 50 mg/kg per dose every 8 hours IV
- Not necessary to differentiate between premature and normal-gestational age infants
Read the label’s full dosing text
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Adults Dosage and route of administration should be determined by susceptibility of the causative organisms, severity of the infection, and the condition of the patient (see table for dosage guideline). Cefotaxime may be administered IM or IV after reconstitution. The maximum daily dosage should not exceed 12 grams. GUIDELINES FOR DOSAGE OF CEFOTAXIME FOR INJECTION Type of Infection Daily Dose (grams) Frequency and Route Gonococcal urethritis/cervicitis in males and females 0.5 0.5 gram IM (single dose) Rectal gonorrhea in females 0.5 0.5 gram IM (single dose) Rectal gonorrhea in males 1 1 gram IM (single dose) Uncomplicated infections 2 1 gram every 12 hours IM or IV Moderate to severe infections 3-6 1-2 grams every 8 hours IM or IV Infections commonly needing antibiotics in higher dosage (e.g., septicemia) 6-8 2 grams every 6-8 hours IV Life-threatening infections up to 12 2 grams every 4 hours IV If C. trachomatis is a suspected pathogen, appropriate anti-chlamydial coverage should be added, because cefotaxime sodium has no activity against this organism. To prevent postoperative infection in contaminated or potentially contaminated surgery, the recommended dose is a single 1 gram IM or IV administered 30 to 90 minutes prior to start of surgery. Cesarean Section Patients The first dose of 1 gram is administered intravenously as soon as the umbilical cord is clamped. The second and third doses should be given as 1 gram intravenously or intramuscularly at 6 and 12 hours after the first dose. Neonates, Infants, and Children The following dosage schedule is recommended: Neonates (birth to 1 month): 0-1 week of age 50 mg/kg per dose every 12 hours IV 1-4 weeks of age 50 mg/kg per dose every 8 hours IV It is not necessary to differentiate between premature and normal-gestational age infants. Infants and Children (1 month to 12 years): For body weights less than 50 kg, the recommended daily dose is 50 to 180 mg/kg IM or IV body weight divided into four to six equal doses. The higher dosages should be used for more severe or serious infections, including meningitis. For body weights 50 kg or more, the usual adult dosage should be used; the maximum daily dosage should not exceed 12 grams.
Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Cefotaxime Injection side effects
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Cefotaxime is generally well tolerated. The most common effects are:
Common side effects
- Pain, hardness or tenderness at the injection site after IM injection
- Redness or inflammation at the IV site
- Rash or itching
- Fever
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Headache
When to get medical help
- Get emergency help for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing, or severe rash or hives.
- Call your doctor if you have severe or ongoing diarrhea during or even up to two months after treatment, since it can signal a serious bowel infection (C. difficile).
- Seek help for a severe skin reaction such as widespread blistering, peeling or pustules.
- Report seizures, confusion, or abnormal movements, especially if you have kidney problems.
- Tell your care team about a very fast or irregular heartbeat, which has been reported after rapid injection through a central line.
- Report unusual bruising or bleeding, constant infections, yellowing of skin or eyes, or much less urine.
Cefotaxime Injection warnings and precautions
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- Serious allergic reactions can happen, especially if you are allergic to cephalosporins or penicillins.
- C. difficile diarrhea can occur during or up to two months after treatment.
- Rapid injection through a central line has been linked to dangerous heart rhythm problems.
- High doses, especially with kidney problems, may cause encephalopathy (brain dysfunction) or seizures.
- It should only be used for infections proven or strongly suspected to be bacterial, to limit resistance.
Cefotaxime Injection interactions
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Some medicines change how cefotaxime works or add to kidney risk.
- Probenecid: raises cefotaxime levels by slowing its removal.
- Aminoglycosides: may add to kidney harm and must not be mixed together.
- NSAIDs and furosemide: may add to kidney toxicity.
Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label
From the Cefotaxime Injection prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.
- Probenecid: Probenecid interferes with the renal tubular transfer of cefotaxime, decreasing total clearance by approximately 50% and increasing plasma concentrations of cefotaxime. Administration of cefotaxime in excess of 6 grams/day should be avoided in patients receiving probenecid.
- Nephrotoxic drugs such as aminoglycosides, NSAIDs and furosemide: As with other cephalosporins, cefotaxime may potentiate the nephrotoxic effects of nephrotoxic drugs. Cefotaxime solutions must not be admixed with aminoglycoside solutions; if given to the same patient, administer separately and not as a mixed injection.
- Ethanol: No disulfiram-like reactions were reported in a study of 22 healthy volunteers given cefotaxime and ethanol.
Read the label’s full interactions text
Drug Interactions A single intravenous dose and oral dose of probenecid (500 mg each) followed by two oral doses of probenecid 500 mg at approximately hourly intervals administered to three healthy male subjects receiving a continuous infusion of cefotaxime increased the steady-state plasma concentration of cefotaxime by approximately 80%. In another study, administration of oral probenecid 500 mg every 6 hours to six healthy male subjects with cefotaxime 1 gram infused over 5 minutes decreased the total clearance of cefotaxime by approximately 50%. Additionally, no disulfiram-like reactions were reported in a study conducted in 22 healthy volunteers administered cefotaxime and ethanol.
Drug Interactions As with other cephalosporins, cefotaxime may potentiate the nephrotoxic effects of nephrotoxic drugs such as aminoglycosides, NSAIDs and furosemide. Probenecid interferes with the renal tubular transfer of cefotaxime, decreasing the total clearance of cefotaxime by approximately 50% and increasing the plasma concentrations of cefotaxime. Administration of cefotaxime in excess of 6 grams/day should be avoided in patients receiving probenecid (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Drug Interactions ).
Not a complete list. The label covers the interactions the manufacturer studied or reported, and our own interaction database does not cover every medicine either. Bring your full medication list, including vitamins and herbal products, to your pharmacist.
Before taking Cefotaxime Injection
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- Not for people allergic to cefotaxime or other cephalosporins.
- Tell your team about penicillin or other drug allergies.
- Kidney problems may require careful dosing and monitoring.
- Older adults may be more sensitive because of reduced kidney function.
- Newborns and children are dosed by age and weight.
Cefotaxime Injection overdose
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Most overdoses showed no obvious toxicity. The most common findings were raised kidney blood tests (BUN and creatinine). High doses may cause reversible encephalopathy. There is no specific antidote, so patients are watched closely and given supportive care.
What Cefotaxime Injection does in the body
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Cefotaxime is bactericidal. Its main breakdown product, desacetylcefotaxime, also helps kill bacteria. It has no activity against Chlamydia trachomatis.
How your body processes Cefotaxime Injection
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After an IM dose, blood levels peak within about 30 minutes, and the half-life is about 1 hour. IV doses give higher, dose-related levels. About 60% of a dose is found in urine in the first 6 hours. Part leaves unchanged and part as metabolites. Newborns, especially small ones, clear it more slowly.
How to store Cefotaxime Injection
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stored at 20º to 25°C (68º to 77°F) . and should be protected from elevated temperatures and excessive light.
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Cefotaxime Injection
45 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Cefotaxime Injection in the licensed clinical database we use. Most are manageable — but your pharmacist should know about everything you take, including vitamins and herbals.
- Major · 2
- Moderate · 39
- Minor · 4
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — see our data sources & update cadence. Not medical advice: an interaction being documented does not mean it will happen to you; do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Nutrient depletion considerations
Cefotaxime Injection has been associated with lower levels of 7 nutrients in the clinical literature. This does not mean a deficiency will occur — it means these may be worth discussing with your pharmacist or healthcare provider, especially with long-term use.
- Higher significance · 6
- Moderate · 1
Educational information from a licensed clinical database (Natural Medicines) — not medical advice. Do not start or stop medications or supplements without professional guidance.
Cefotaxime Injection: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Cefotaxime Injection — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is Cefotaxime Injection used for?
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How will I get it?
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What side effects should I expect?
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When should I call for help?
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Can I take it if I'm allergic to penicillin?
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Does it interact with my other medicines?
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Is Cefotaxime Injection available over the counter?
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When was Cefotaxime Injection first available?
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Who makes Cefotaxime Injection?
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Answers drafted from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
More about Cefotaxime Injection on HelloPharmacist
Cefotaxime Injection forms and strengths (how it comes)
Cefotaxime Injection is available in 1 form. Different forms and brands can have different approved uses, doses, schedules, and directions. Follow the instructions for your exact product, and do not switch forms without guidance from your prescriber or pharmacist.
Need a version that does not list lactose, a gluten source, a dye or gelatin? Inactive ingredients differ by manufacturer: see Cefotaxime Injection inactive ingredients by manufacturer.
Injection
How this form is used
- Cefotaxime is used for serious bacterial infections, including lung, urinary tract, gynecologic, blood, skin, abdominal, bone and joint, and brain and spinal cord infections.
- Cefotaxime is also used before surgery, and around cesarean delivery, to reduce certain infections.
- Cefotaxime is mixed with a liquid before it is given into a muscle or a vein.
- Cefotaxime IM doses are injected deep into a large muscle such as the buttock.
- Cefotaxime IV is generally preferred for severe or life-threatening infections and should not be given too fast.
- Cefotaxime must not be mixed with aminoglycoside antibiotics in the same solution.
Cefotaxime Injection on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Cefotaxime Injection appears in the FDA’s National Drug Code Directory — including its dosage forms, strengths, brand names, manufacturers, and FDA-listed product records. These are directory records, not sales or prescription volume.
2 companies list 6 Cefotaxime Injection product records with the FDA, mostly as injection; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1981. Brand names on the directory include Claforan; the rest are generics.
Share of FDA-listed product records by manufacturer — FDA National Drug Code Directory. Record counts are not sales or prescription volume.
Compare Cefotaxime Injection products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Cefotaxime Injection — across manufacturers, strengths, and dosage forms, grouped by form with each product’s manufacturer and how the FDA approved it. The same medicine may be made and packaged by different companies, so a single drug can have many directory entries. (It’s also why a refill can look different — a new shape, color, or box — even though it contains the same medication.)
| Strength | Route | Manufacturer / Labeler | Category ⓘ | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 💊Injection | ||||
| 500 mg | Intramuscular, Intravenous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 1 g | Intramuscular, Intravenous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g | Intramuscular, Intravenous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 g | Intravenous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 1 g | Intramuscular, Intravenous | SteriMax Inc. | UNAPPROVED DRUG FOR USE IN DRUG SHORTAGE | View NDC → |
| 2 g | Intramuscular, Intravenous | SteriMax Inc. | UNAPPROVED DRUG FOR USE IN DRUG SHORTAGE | View NDC → |
Showing 6 of 6 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 6 Cefotaxime Injection NDCs →
Cefotaxime Injection side effects reported to the FDA (FAERS)
After a medicine reaches the market, patients, doctors and drugmakers can send the FDA reports of problems they think may be linked to it. Here’s what’s been reported for Cefotaxime Injection — a signal of what to watch for, not proof the drug caused it.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). These are voluntary reports — they don’t prove the drug caused the effect, and counts reflect how often something was reported, not how often it actually happens. Reports also often name the very problem the medicine is taken for — a common reason to file one is that the drug didn’t help — so for a pain reliever you may see “pain” high on the list; that points to why the report was filed, not to the drug causing the symptom. This counts every report that lists Cefotaxime Injection in any role, so the total runs higher than the FDA’s official dashboard, which counts only cases where the drug is the suspect. For the authoritative figures, see the FDA FAERS Public Dashboard. Always talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Cefotaxime Injection FDA approval history
How Cefotaxime Injection went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Cefotaxime Injection recall history
A recall is when a specific batch of a medicine is pulled from the market — usually a manufacturing issue, not a problem with the drug itself. Class I is most serious, Class III least.
The FDA’s enforcement reports list no Cefotaxime recalls since July 2021.
✅No Cefotaxime recalls on record since July 2021Source: FDA enforcement (recall) reports, via openFDA; our copy was last updated Sep 24, 2026.
RxNorm Concept Web — From Ingredient to Every Form and Strength
This page starts with one ingredient concept (IN). The branches below show its dose-form concepts (SCDF), then the available clinical drug and strength concepts (SCD). Combination products remain separate concepts with their own pages.
RxCUI 2186 2 dose forms · 5 strengths
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Dose form (SCDF) Injectable Solution RxCUI 371331In current FDA listingsClinical drug / strength (SCD) 200 MG/MLRxCUI 309065 -
Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1656312In current FDA listings
Look up RxCUI 2186 in the RxCUI Atlas →
RxNorm is the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s normalized drug vocabulary. Its concept hierarchy can include forms that are not currently marketed; the status on each branch compares that concept with current FDA listings. RxCUIs identify vocabulary concepts, not individual packages or manufacturers.
Cefotaxime Injection supply and shortage status
Whether Cefotaxime Injection is in short supply in the U.S. right now, plus any shortage history the FDA has on record. A shortage usually reflects a manufacturing or demand issue — not a safety problem with the drug.
Source: openFDA, from the FDA Drug Shortages database.
Cefotaxime Injection brand names
Cefotaxime Injection is sold under one brand name in the FDA directory — Claforan. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Cefotaxime Injection: manufacturers and labelers
2 companies list Cefotaxime Injection products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., SteriMax Inc.. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Cefotaxime Injection drug class (RxNorm)
Cefotaxime Injection belongs to the Cephalosporin Antibacterial class.
Classified by RxNorm RxClass — the U.S. National Library of Medicine's standardized drug-classification service (Established Pharmacologic Class from the FDA, the ATC drug family from the WHO, and mechanism of action). Reference only, not medical advice.
Sources for this Cefotaxime Injection page
Core label, product, RxNorm, safety, and utilization data on this page come from the sources identified below. AI-written, editorial, and licensed sections are labeled separately.
How this page is built
HelloPharmacist combines public FDA and NLM records and does not author the underlying clinical facts. The plain-language sections are written with AI from the FDA-approved label text and reviewed by our pharmacy team before publication. Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. is the representative DailyMed label linked for verification and dates. This is general education, not medical advice: always talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own medicines. How we build and review drug pages →