Cefoxitin Injection
Cefoxitin Injection is an intravenous cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections of the lungs, urinary tract, abdomen, female reproductive organs, blood, bones and joints, and skin, 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 9 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 →
Cefoxitin Injection is a cephalosporin antibiotic given into a vein, a hospital standby since about 1978 and available as a generic, used for several bacterial infections and commonly to prevent infection around abdominal and pelvic surgery; it blocks bacterial cell-wall building and resists some enzymes (beta-lactamases) that destroy other antibiotics. Most people handle it well, and the usual complaints are a sore, irritated vein at the IV site and some diarrhea or nausea. The boxed warning is a handling rule for staff (the pharmacy bulk package is only prepared into single doses, never injected directly), so what you should watch for is a serious allergic reaction or severe, watery diarrhea, even months later.
Clinical pearls
- Tell your team about any past penicillin or cephalosporin reaction, even an old rash, since it raises the risk of serious allergy.
- Kidney function sets the dose, and cefoxitin can falsely raise creatinine (a kidney blood marker), so mention it before lab work.
- Avoid the premixed dextrose version if you have a corn allergy, and expect blood sugar checks if you have diabetes.
- Given alongside an aminoglycoside antibiotic such as gentamicin, it can add to kidney strain, so kidney monitoring matters more.
⚠️ FDA Boxed Warning — the FDA’s strongest safety alert ▾
This is a pharmacy bulk package and must not be given directly as an injection or infusion. It is meant only for pharmacy staff to prepare into individual doses under proper conditions. It is not something a patient would receive straight from the package.
Patient information guide A plain-language walkthrough of Cefoxitin Injection, written from its FDA label.
What Cefoxitin Injection is used for
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Cefoxitin Injection treats infections caused by susceptible bacteria and helps prevent infection after some surgeries. Cefoxitin for Injection and Dextrose Injection is indicated for:
- Lower respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia and lung abscess
- Urinary tract infections
- Intra-abdominal infections, including peritonitis and abdominal abscess
- Gynecological infections, including endometritis, pelvic cellulitis and pelvic inflammatory disease
- Septicemia (bloodstream infection)
- Bone and joint infections
- Skin and skin structure infections
- Preventing infection in uncontaminated gastrointestinal surgery, vaginal or abdominal hysterectomy, and cesarean section
How Cefoxitin Injection works
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Cefoxitin is a bactericidal antibiotic, meaning it kills bacteria. It works by blocking the building of the bacterial cell wall.
It stays active against some bacteria that produce beta-lactamases, enzymes that destroy certain antibiotics. Bacteria can become resistant by breaking the drug down, changing their cell wall targets, or letting less drug in.
Cefoxitin Injection dosage
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Cefoxitin is given through a vein by a healthcare professional.
- Treatment is usually given every several hours, depending on the infection.
- For surgery prevention, it is usually given shortly before the operation and stopped within about 24 hours.
- Dose and timing are adjusted for kidney function and for children.
- Strep infections need at least 10 days of treatment.
Because it is given by staff, missed-dose questions should go to your care team. Follow your prescriber and the label.
Dosing details from the FDA-approved label
From the Cefoxitin 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.
- Adults - usual dosage (treatment)
- 1 gram to 2 grams every six to eight hours
- Pharmacy Bulk Package bag SmartPak should be used only in patients who require a 1 gram dose and not any fraction thereof
- Dosage determined by susceptibility of the causative organisms, severity of infection, and condition of the patient
- Uncomplicated forms of infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infection, cutaneous infection (including patients in whom bacteremia is absent or unlikely)
- 1 gram every 6 to 8 hours I.V. (daily dosage 3 to 4 grams)
- Moderately severe or severe infections
- 1 gram every 4 hours or 2 grams every 6 to 8 hours I.V. (daily dosage 6 to 8 grams)
- Infections commonly needing antibiotics in higher dosage (e.g., gas gangrene)
- 2 grams every 4 hours or 3 grams every 6 hours I.V. (daily dosage 12 grams)
- Adults with renal insufficiency
- Initial loading dose of 1 gram to 2 grams may be given
- Then maintenance dosage per Table 2 as a guide
- Table 2 creatinine clearance ranges: mild impairment 50 to 30 mL/min, moderate 29 to 10, severe 9 to 5; not for patients requiring less than the 1 gram dose
- Patients undergoing hemodialysis
- Loading dose of 1 to 2 grams given after each hemodialysis
- Maintenance dose as indicated in Table 2
- Pediatric patients three months of age and older (treatment)
- 80 to 160 mg/kg of body weight per day divided into four to six equal doses
- Higher dosages for more severe or serious infections
- Maximum: Total daily dosage should not exceed 12 grams
- No recommendation for birth to three months of age; with renal insufficiency, modify dosage and frequency consistent with adult recommendations (Table 2)
- Prophylaxis in uncontaminated gastrointestinal surgery, vaginal hysterectomy, or abdominal hysterectomy - adults
- 2 grams intravenously just prior to surgery (approximately one-half to one hour before the initial incision), followed by 2 grams every 6 hours after the first dose for no more than 24 hours
- Prophylactic administration should usually be stopped within 24 hours
- Prophylaxis in surgery - pediatric patients (3 months and older)
- 30 to 40 mg/kg doses may be given at the times designated above
- Prophylaxis - cesarean section patients
- Either a single 2 gram dose intravenously as soon as the umbilical cord is clamped, OR 3-dose regimen of 2 grams intravenously as soon as the umbilical cord is clamped followed by 2 grams 4 and 8 hours after the initial dose
Read the label’s full dosing text
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Cefoxitin for Injection USP, Pharmacy Bulk Package bag SmartPak ® should be used only in patients who require a 1 gram dose and not any fraction thereof. Cefoxitin for Injection USP, Pharmacy Bulk Package bag SmartPak ® should not be used in patients who require less than the 1 gram dose of cefoxitin. THE INTENT OF THIS PHARMACY BULK PACKAGE IS FOR THE PREPARATION OF SOLUTIONS FOR INTRAVENOUS INFUSION ONLY. BEFORE ADMINISTRATION, THIS PHARMACY BULK PACKAGE REQUIRES RECONSTITUTION TO A CONCENTRATION OF 100 MG/ML AND FURTHER DILUTION IN 50 mL OF A COMPATIBLE SOLUTION. THIS IS A PHARMACY BULK PACKAGE – NOT FOR DIRECT INJECTION USE THIS FORMULATION OF CEFOXITIN ONLY IN PATIENTS WHO REQUIRE A 1 GRAM DOSE. Treatment Adults Cefoxitin for Injection, USP, Pharmacy Bulk Package bag SmartPak® should be used only in patients who require a 1 gram dose and not any fraction thereof. Cefoxitin for Injection USP, Pharmacy Bulk Package bag SmartPak® should not be used in patients who require less than the 1 gram dose of cefoxitin. The usual adult dosage range is 1 gram to 2 grams every six to eight hours. Dosage should be determined by susceptibility of the causative organisms, severity of infection, and the condition of the patient (see Table 1 for dosage guidelines). If C. trachomatis is a suspected pathogen, appropriate anti-chlamydial coverage should be added, because cefoxitin sodium has no activity against this organism. This formulation of Cefoxitin for Injection USP, Pharmacy Bulk Package SmartPak® should not be used in patients who require less than the 1 gram dose of cefoxitin. Cefoxitin for Injection may be used in patients with reduced renal function with the following dosage adjustments: In adults with renal insufficiency , Cefoxitin for Injection, USP, Pharmacy Bulk Package bag SmartPak ® should be used only in patients who require a 1 gram dose and not any fraction thereof. Cefoxitin for Injection USP, Pharmacy Bulk Package bag SmartPak ® should not be used in patients with renal impairment who require less than the 1 gram dose of cefoxitin. An initial loading dose of 1 gram to 2 grams may be given. After a loading dose, the recommendations for maintenance dosage ( Table 2 ) may be used as a guide.
Excerpted — the section continues on the label. Read the full Dosage and Administration section on DailyMed →
Cefoxitin Injection side effects
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The most common side effects are local reactions at the injection site. Others include:
Common side effects
- Irritation or inflammation of the vein at the injection site (thrombophlebitis)
- Diarrhea
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rash or itching
- Low blood pressure
- Fever
- Rash, itching, hives, flushing or fever
When to get medical help
- Get emergency help for signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, hives, or severe rash.
- Call your doctor if you have severe or watery diarrhea during or even months after treatment. It could be C. difficile infection.
- Report any seizures, especially if you have kidney problems.
- Tell your care team about severe skin reactions, blistering or peeling skin.
- Report yellowing of the skin or eyes, or a big drop in urine output.
- Tell your doctor if you notice unusual bruising, bleeding, or signs of low blood counts.
- If you have myasthenia gravis, report any worsening of muscle weakness.
Cefoxitin Injection warnings and precautions
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- Serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, can occur, especially with a history of beta-lactam allergy.
- C. difficile-associated diarrhea can range from mild to fatal colitis and may appear months after treatment.
- Unneeded antibiotic use increases the risk of drug-resistant bacteria, and long use can lead to overgrowth of other organisms.
- Seizures have been reported with cephalosporins, especially in kidney impairment when doses were not reduced.
- It may worsen myasthenia gravis.
- Cefoxitin has no activity against Chlamydia trachomatis, so extra coverage is needed if it is suspected.
Cefoxitin Injection interactions
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A few interactions and test effects matter with cefoxitin:
- Aminoglycoside antibiotics: may raise the risk of kidney toxicity.
- Probenecid: slows kidney clearance, increasing cefoxitin levels.
- Creatinine tests: high cefoxitin levels can falsely raise results, so blood drawn within 2 hours of a dose should not be tested.
- Urine glucose tests (Clinitest): may show a false positive.
Interactions listed in the FDA-approved label
From the Cefoxitin Injection prescribing information (“Drug Interactions”): what the manufacturer studied or reported to the FDA.
- Aminoglycosides: Increased nephrotoxicity has been reported following concomitant administration of cephalosporins and aminoglycoside antibacterials.
Read the label’s full interactions text
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Aminoglycosides: Increased potential of nephrotoxicity. ( 7.1 ) 7.1 Aminoglycosides Increased nephrotoxicity has been reported following concomitant administration of cephalosporins and aminoglycoside antibacterials.
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 Cefoxitin Injection
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- Do not use if allergic to cefoxitin or other beta-lactams such as penicillins and cephalosporins.
- The dextrose product may be unsuitable if you are allergic to corn.
- Tell your doctor about kidney disease, since doses need adjusting.
- Tell your doctor about gastrointestinal disease, especially colitis.
- Tell your doctor about diabetes or carbohydrate intolerance.
- Pregnancy: available data have not shown a clear risk, but discuss it with your doctor.
- Breastfeeding: small amounts pass into milk and no serious concerns have been reported.
- Older adults: kidney function should be considered when choosing a dose.
What Cefoxitin Injection does in the body
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Cefoxitin kills susceptible bacteria by interfering with their cell wall construction. It is active against many gram-positive, gram-negative and anaerobic bacteria, including some that make beta-lactamases.
How your body processes Cefoxitin Injection
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After an IV dose, blood levels peak quickly and fall to very low levels in about 4 hours. The half-life is about 41 to 59 minutes. About 85 percent is cleared unchanged by the kidneys within 6 hours, so urine levels are high. Cefoxitin reaches pleural fluid, joint fluid and bile. Older adults may clear it more slowly because of reduced kidney function.
How to store Cefoxitin Injection
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Store dry powder between 2° to 25°C (36° to 77°F). ; product potency, however, is not adversely affected.
Written from the FDA-approved label with AI and reviewed by our pharmacy team. How we use AI →
Supplements & herbs that interact with Cefoxitin Injection
43 supplements and herbal products have documented interactions with Cefoxitin 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 · 2
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
Cefoxitin 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.
Cefoxitin Injection: pharmacist answers to common questions
Quick, plain-English answers to the questions patients ask most about Cefoxitin Injection — the kind of thing our pharmacy team would talk through with you at the counter.
What is cefoxitin 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 someone right away?
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I'm allergic to penicillin. Is this safe?
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Can I get it if I'm pregnant or breastfeeding?
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Is Cefoxitin Injection available over the counter?
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When was Cefoxitin Injection first available?
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Who makes Cefoxitin 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 Cefoxitin Injection on HelloPharmacist
Cefoxitin Injection forms and strengths (how it comes)
Cefoxitin 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 Cefoxitin Injection inactive ingredients by manufacturer.
Injection
How this form is used
- Cefoxitin and Dextrose treats lower respiratory, urinary tract, intra-abdominal, gynecological, bone and joint, and skin infections, and septicemia.
- Cefoxitin and Dextrose is also used to prevent infection in certain surgeries, including gastrointestinal surgery, hysterectomy and cesarean section.
- Cefoxitin and Dextrose is given intravenously.
- Cefoxitin and Dextrose should be monitored in people with diabetes or carbohydrate intolerance because it contains dextrose.
- Cefoxitin and Dextrose is contraindicated in people allergic to corn products or beta-lactam antibiotics.
Cefoxitin Injection on the U.S. market: products, makers and brands
How Cefoxitin 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.
6 companies list 14 Cefoxitin Injection product records with the FDA, mostly as injection; the earliest marketing or approval year on record is 1978. Brand names on the directory include Mefoxin, Cefoxitin and Dextrose; 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.
How widely Cefoxitin Injection is used (Medicaid data)
A general measure of how commonly Cefoxitin Injection is prescribed, based on Medicaid — one of the largest public drug programs. The figure below is prescriptions filled in Q1–Q4 2025, summed across every form and brand of the drug.
Think of this as a proxy for how widely Cefoxitin Injection is used, drawn from freely available public data. Medicaid is just one program — these numbers don’t include Medicare, other government coverage, or commercial and cash-pay prescriptions, so real-world use is higher than what’s shown here.
How commonly is Cefoxitin Injection prescribed? Of the 1,601 medications we measure, Cefoxitin Injection ranks #1,070 by Medicaid prescriptions — more than 33% of them.
Utilization by Cefoxitin Injection product
Pick a product to see its own Medicaid numbers. Each chip is one clinical product — a specific strength & dosage form as defined by RxNorm — with brand-name and generic versions combined.
cefoxitin 2000 MG Injection Most dispensed
Summed across the 6 of 10 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1665107
cefoxitin 1000 MG Injection
Summed across the 4 of 12 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 1665102
cefoxitin 200 MG/ML Injectable Solution
Summed across the 2 of 5 listed NDC products with Medicaid activity — every brand and generic of this exact strength & form. RxNorm 309072
Shares are of the Medicaid prescriptions shown here. Product grouping follows RxNorm (the National Library of Medicine’s drug terminology), so “one product” means one strength & dosage form regardless of manufacturer. Dollar figures are gross Medicaid reimbursement before mandatory rebates — rebates (often large, especially for brand-name drugs) are confidential, so actual net cost to Medicaid is lower than shown.
Source: Medicaid State Drug Utilization Data (CMS), aggregated by generic ingredient — summed across every NDC (all brands, strengths, salt forms and dosage forms) of Cefoxitin Injection, and across all states and both fee-for-service and managed-care claims. A general popularity signal; it excludes Medicare, commercial insurance and cash prescriptions, so it is not total U.S. use. Based on the 12 of 27 listed Cefoxitin Injection NDCs with Medicaid activity.
Compare Cefoxitin Injection products
A representative set of FDA-listed product records for Cefoxitin 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 | ||||
| 1 g/50 mL | Intravenous | B. Braun Medical Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g/50 mL | Intravenous | B. Braun Medical Inc. | NDA | View NDC → |
| 1 g | Intravenous | Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g | Intravenous | Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 1 g | Intravenous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g | Intravenous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 g | Intravenous | Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 1 g | Intravenous | Sagent Pharmaceuticals | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g | Intravenous | Sagent Pharmaceuticals | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 g | Intravenous | Sagent Pharmaceuticals | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 100 g | Intravenous | Samson Medical Technologies Llc | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 1 g | Intravenous | WG Critical Care, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 2 g | Intravenous | WG Critical Care, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
| 10 g | Intravenous | WG Critical Care, LLC | ANDA | View NDC → |
Showing 14 of 14 products — FDA National Drug Code Directory. See every product, package size and price: browse all 14 Cefoxitin Injection NDCs →
Cefoxitin 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 Cefoxitin 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 Cefoxitin 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.
Cefoxitin Injection FDA approval history
How Cefoxitin Injection went from FDA review to the pharmacy shelf — the key milestones in its regulatory journey.
Source: Drugs@FDA.
Cefoxitin 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 Cefoxitin recalls since July 2021.
✅No Cefoxitin 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 2189 2 dose forms · 4 strengths
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Dose form (SCDF) Injectable Solution RxCUI 376592In current FDA listings -
Dose form (SCDF) Injection RxCUI 1665101In current FDA listings
Look up RxCUI 2189 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.
Cefoxitin Injection supply and shortage status
Whether Cefoxitin 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.
Cefoxitin Injection brand names
Cefoxitin Injection is sold under 2 brand names in the FDA directory — Mefoxin, Cefoxitin and Dextrose. A brand and its generic contain the same active ingredient; the brand name belongs to one company's product.
Who makes Cefoxitin Injection: manufacturers and labelers
6 companies list Cefoxitin Injection products with the FDA. By number of product records, the largest are Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc., Sagent Pharmaceuticals, WG Critical Care, LLC. Labelers include manufacturers and repackagers; the product in your bottle depends on which one your pharmacy stocks.
Cefoxitin Injection drug class (RxNorm)
Cefoxitin 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 Cefoxitin 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. B. Braun Medical 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 →