Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mL Powder, For Solution, 200 mL
🆔 Identity & classification
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🏷️ RxNorm drug class
This medicine belongs to the Penicillin-class Antibacterial class.
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🏭 Manufacturer & labeler
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🩺 Clinical
Penicillin V potassium is used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria such as pneumonia and other respiratory tract infections, scarlet fever, and ear, skin, gum, mouth, and throat infections prevent rheumatic fever (a serious illness that can happen after strep throat or scarlet fever and can damage the heart) from coming back Penicillin V potassium is in a class of medications called penicillins. It works by killing bacteria. Antibiotics such as penicillin V potassium will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections. Taking antibiotics when they are not needed increase...
Read the full MedlinePlus article ↗- It's used for mild to moderately severe bacterial infections — things like strep throat, scarlet fever, certain respiratory infections from pneumococcal bacteria, mild skin infecti...
- What kinds of infections does Penicillin V Potassium actually treat?
- You can take it either way — it won't upset most people's stomachs badly. That said, your body actually absorbs slightly more of the medication if you take it on an empty stomach....
- Should I take it with food or on an empty stomach?
Patient education
Supplement & herbal interactions
Some supplements/herbs that may interact with Penicillin V Potassium — tap one for details:
Penicillin V Potassium may be associated with lower levels of 7 nutrients — worth a chat with your pharmacist, not a cause for alarm.
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Ask a licensed pharmacist directly — free, answered by our team.
💊 What it looks like
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🧪 Inactive Ingredients / Excipients
Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.
💡 Tap an ingredient (hover on desktop) to see what it is and why it’s used.
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UNII WZB9127XOA
A synthetic red dye used to color medications and make them easier to identify. It serves as a colorant in tablets, capsules, and liquid formulations.
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UNII SB8ZUX40TY
Saccharin sodium is an artificial sweetener made from saccharin salt. It's added to medicines to improve taste, especially in liquid formulations for children or bitter drugs.
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UNII OJ245FE5EU
Sodium benzoate is a salt derived from benzoic acid, a preservative. It's added to medicines to prevent growth of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that could spoil the product.
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UNII C151H8M554
A natural sugar derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. It's used as a sweetener, filler, and binder to improve taste, add bulk, and help hold tablet or capsule ingredients together.
4 inactive ingredients listed in the exact product block matched to this NDC.
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ingredient classCode="IACT" elements from the exact product block matched by this NDC. Label-section narrative from DailyMed / the openFDA label index is shown separately when available.Inactive ingredient FAQ
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💲 Pricing
A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.
| Price system | Per mL | Per package |
|---|---|---|
| Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly | Not in the retail survey — common for institutional, discontinued, or low-volume packs. | |
| Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo | No recent Medicaid claims on file for this NDC — rare and low-volume NDCs are suppressed in the public data. | |
| Medicare drug plans payPart D · Q2 2026 | $0.0699 | $13.98 / 200 ml |
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🔁 Therapeutic equivalents
| Product | Labeler | Pack | NADAC/unit | TE | Status | Price vs. this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mL 00093-4127-73 | Teva | 100 ml | $0.057 | — | Availability likely | — |
| Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mL 50090-0409-00 | A-S | 200 ml | — | — | FDA listed | — |
| Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mLthis 63187-0533-20 | Proficient | 200 ml | — | — | FDA listed | — |
| Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mL 68071-1820-02 | NuCare | 200 ml | — | — | FDA listed | — |
| Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mL 68788-9852-01 | Preferred | 100 ml | — | — | FDA listed | — |
| Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mL 62135-0103-01 | Chartwell | 100 ml | — | — | FDA listed | — |
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⏳ Availability & generic status
This product is an FDA-approved generic. Other versions of the same drug are listed under Therapeutic equivalents, least expensive first.
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📊 Medicare Part D spend CMS · PART D · 2026 (Q1)
🔬 Reported adverse events (FAERS)
Top reported reactions
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📦 Packaging — all sizes for this product
| Package NDC | Description | Marketing start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63187-0533-00 | 100 mL in 1 BOTTLE (63187-533-00) | 2016-08-01 | Active |
| 63187-0533-20 You're viewing this | 200 mL in 1 BOTTLE (63187-533-20) | 1990-09-30 | Active |
You're viewing the largest of 2 pack sizes for this product.
Pack size FAQ
What quantity is in NDC 63187-0533-20?
What is the difference between NDC 63187-0533-20 and NDC 63187-0533-00?
What NDC number is used to bill for this package of Penicillin V Potassium 250 mg/5mL Powder, For Solution?
🧭 About this NDC listing & data coverage
What data is (and isn’t) available for this NDC — tap to expand
| NDC identity (package / product / labeler codes) | ✓ Available |
| Labeler | ✓ Available |
| Product & package description | ✓ Available |
| Marketing category & status | ✓ Available |
| Active ingredient / dosage form / route | ✓ Available |
| FDA label (SPL via DailyMed) | ✓ Available |
| Package photos | ✓ Available |
| Inactive ingredients (structured) | ✓ Available |
| NADAC pharmacy acquisition price (CMS) | — Not published for this NDC CMS publishes NADAC only for NDCs reported in its retail-pharmacy survey. |
| Orange Book / therapeutic-equivalence data | — Not published for this NDC Applies only to products approved under an NDA/ANDA; many listings are out of scope. |
| HCPCS J-code billing crosswalk | — Not published for this NDC Most self-administered / retail products have no J-code — that is normal. |
| Medicaid utilization (CMS SDUD) | — Not published for this NDC CMS reports utilization only for NDCs with Medicaid claims above its privacy threshold. |
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📄 Full prescribing information FDA SPL
🎯 Indications and Usage ▾
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Penicillin V potassium tablets and penicillin V potassium for oral solution are indicated in the treatment of mild to moderately severe infections due to penicillin G-sensitive microorganisms. Therapy should be guided by bacteriological studies (including sensitivity tests) and by clinical response. NOTE: Severe pneumonia, empyema, bacteremia, pericarditis, meningitis, and arthritis should not be treated with penicillin V during the acute stage.
Indicated surgical procedures should be performed. The following infections will usually respond to adequate dosage of penicillin V. Streptococcal infections (without bacteremia).
Mild-to-moderate infections of the upper respiratory tract, scarlet fever, and mild erysipelas. NOTE: Streptococci in groups A, C, G, H, L, and M are very sensitive to penicillin. Other groups, including group D (enterococcus), are resistant.
Pneumococcal infections. Mild to moderately severe infections of the respiratory tract. Staphylococcal infections —penicillin G-sensitive.
Mild infections of the skin and soft tissues. NOTE: Reports indicate an increasing number of strains of staphylococci resistant to penicillin G, emphasizing the need for culture and sensitivity studies in treating suspected staphylococcal infections. Fusospirochetosis (Vincent's gingivitis and pharyngitis)—Mild to moderately severe infections of the oropharynx usually respond to therapy with oral penicillin.
NOTE: Necessary dental care should be accomplished in infections involving the gum tissue. Medical conditions in which oral penicillin therapy is indicated as prophylaxis: For the prevention of recurrence following rheumatic fever and/or chorea: Prophylaxis with oral penicillin on a continuing basis has proven effective in preventing recurrence of these conditions. Although no controlled clinical efficacy studies have been conducted, penicillin V has been suggested by the American Heart Association and the American Dental Association for use as an oral regimen for prophylaxis against bacterial endocarditis in patients who have congenital heart disease or rheumatic or other acquired valvular heart disease when they undergo dental procedures and surgical procedures of the upper respiratory tract.
1 Oral penicillin should not be used in those patients at particularly high risk for endocarditis (e.g., those with prosthetic heart valves or surgically constructed systemic pulmonary shunts). Penicillin V should not be used as adjunctive prophylaxis for genitourinary instrumentation or surgery, lower-intestinal tract surgery, sigmoidoscopy, and childbirth. Since it may happen that alpha hemolytic streptococci relatively resistant to penicillin may be found when patients are receiving continuous oral penicillin for secondary prevention of rheumatic fever, prophylactic agents other than penicillin may be chosen for these patients and prescribed in addition to their continuous rheumatic fever prophylactic regimen.
NOTE: When selecting antibiotics for the prevention of bacterial endocarditis, the physician or dentist should read the full joint statement of the American Heart Association and the American Dental Association. 1 To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of penicillin V potassium tablets, penicillin V potassium for oral solution, and other antibacterial drugs, penicillin V potassium tablets and penicillin V potassium for oral solution should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria.
When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may contribute to the empiric selection of therapy.
⏱️ Dosage and Administration ▾
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION The dosage of penicillin V potassium tablets and penicillin V potassium for oral solution should be determined according to the sensitivity of the causative microorganisms and the severity of infection, and adjusted to the clinical response of the patient. The usual dosage recommendations for adults and children 12 years and over are as follows: Streptococcal infections —mild to moderately severe—of the upper respiratory tract and including scarlet fever and erysipelas: 125 to 250 mg (200,000 to 400,000 units) every 6 to 8 hours for 10 days.
Pneumococcal infections —mild to moderately severe—of the respiratory tract, including otitis media: 250 to 500 mg (400,000 to 800,000 units) every 6 hours until the patient has been afebrile for at least 2 days. Staphylococcal infections —mild infections of skin and soft tissue (culture and sensitivity tests should be performed): 250 to 500 mg (400,000 to 800,000 units) every 6 to 8 hours. Fusospirochetosis (Vincent’s infection) of the oropharynx.
Mild to moderately severe infections: 250 to 500 mg (400,000 to 800,000 units) every 6 to 8 hours. For the prevention of recurrence following rheumatic fever and/or chorea: 125 to 250 mg (200,000 to 400,000 units) twice daily on a continuing basis. For prophylaxis against bacterial endocarditis 1 in patients with congenital heart disease or rheumatic or other acquired valvular heart disease when undergoing dental procedures or surgical procedures of the upper respiratory tract: 2 gram of penicillin V (1 gram for children under 60 lbs.) 1 hour before the procedure, and then, 1 gram (500 mg for children under 60 lbs.) 6 hours later.
Directions for Mixing Oral Solution Do not add water until you dispense. When dispensing, tap bottle until all powder flows freely, slowly add the total amount of water for reconstitution (see table below). After partially filling bottle, replace cap and shake vigorously.
Add remaining water and repeat shaking. After reconstitution, solution must be stored in a refrigerator. Discard any unused portion after 14 days.
125 mg/5 mL Bottle size Total Amount of Water Required for Reconstitution 100 mL 75 mL 200 mL 150 mL The resulting solution (red in color) will contain penicillin V potassium equivalent to penicillin V 125 mg (200,000 units) in each 5 mL (teaspoonful). 250 mg/5 mL Bottle size Total Amount of Water Required for Reconstitution 100 mL 75 mL 200 mL 150 mL The resulting solution (red in color) will contain penicillin V potassium equivalent to penicillin V 250 mg (400,000 units) in each 5 mL (teaspoonful).
⛔ Contraindications ▾
CONTRAINDICATIONS A previous hypersensitivity reaction to any penicillin is a contraindication.
⚠️ Warnings ▾
WARNINGS SERIOUS AND OCCASIONALLY FATAL HYPERSENSITIVITY (anaphylactic) REACTIONS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN PATIENTS ON PENICILLIN THERAPY. THESE REACTIONS ARE MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR IN INDIVIDUALS WITH A HISTORY OF PENICILLIN HYPERSENSITIVITY AND/OR A HISTORY OF SENSITIVITY TO MULTIPLE ALLERGENS. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH A HISTORY OF PENICILLIN HYPERSENSITIVITY WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERE REACTIONS WHEN TREATED WITH CEPHALOSPORINS.
BEFORE INITIATING THERAPY WITH PENICILLIN V POTASSIUM, CAREFUL INQUIRY SHOULD BE MADE CONCERNING PREVIOUS HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS TO PENICILLINS, CEPHALOSPORINS, OR OTHER ALLERGENS. IF AN ALLERGIC REACTION OCCURS, PENICILLIN V POTASSIUM SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED AND APPROPRIATE THERAPY INSTITUTED. SERIOUS ANAPHYLACTIC REACTIONS REQUIRE IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY TREATMENT WITH EPINEPHRINE.
OXYGEN, INTRAVENOUS STEROIDS, AND AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING INTUBATION, SHOULD ALSO BE ADMINISTERED AS INDICATED. Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with use of nearly all antibacterial agents, including penicillin V potassium tablets and penicillin V potassium for oral solution, and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. Treatment with antibacterial agents alters the normal flora of the colon leading to overgrowth of C. difficile .
C. difficile produces toxins A and B which contribute to the development of CDAD. Hypertoxin producing strains of C. difficile cause increased morbidity and mortality, as these infections can be refractory to antimicrobial therapy and may require colectomy. CDAD must be considered in all patients who present with diarrhea following antibiotic use.
Careful medical history is necessary since CDAD has been reported to occur over two months after the administration of antibacterial agents. If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, ongoing antibiotic use not directed against C. difficile may need to be discontinued. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte management, protein supplementation, antibiotic treatment of C. difficile , and surgical evaluation should be instituted as clinically indicated.
🤒 Adverse Reactions ▾
ADVERSE REACTIONS Although the incidence of reactions to oral penicillins has been reported with much less frequency than following parenteral therapy, it should be remembered that all degrees of hypersensitivity, including fatal anaphylaxis, have been reported with oral penicillin. The most common reactions to oral penicillin are nausea, vomiting, epigastric distress, diarrhea, and black hairy tongue. The hypersensitivity reactions reported are skin eruptions (maculopapular to exfoliative dermatitis), urticaria and other serum-sicknesslike reactions, laryngeal edema, and anaphylaxis.
Fever and eosinophilia may frequently be the only reaction observed. Hemolytic anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, neuropathy, and nephropathy are infrequent reactions and usually associated with high doses of parenteral penicillin.
🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ▾
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Penicillin V exerts a bactericidal action against penicillin-sensitive microorganisms during the stage of active multiplication. It acts through the inhibition of biosynthesis of cell-wall mucopeptide. It is not active against the penicillinase-producing bacteria, which include many strains of staphylococci.
The drug exerts high in vitro activity against staphylococci (except penicillinase-producing strains), streptococci (groups A, C, G, H, L, and M), and pneumococci. Other organisms sensitive in vitro to penicillin V are Corynebacterium diphtheriae , Bacillus anthracis , Clostridia , Actinomyces bovis , Streptobacillus moniliformis , Listeria monocytogenes , Leptospira , and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Treponema pallidum is extremely sensitive.
The potassium salt of penicillin V has the distinct advantage over penicillin G in resistance to inactivation by gastric acid. It may be given with meals; however, blood levels are slightly higher when the drug is given on an empty stomach. Average blood levels are two to five times higher than the levels following the same dose of oral penicillin G and also show much less individual variation.
Once absorbed, penicillin V is about 80% bound to serum protein. Tissue levels are highest in the kidneys, with lesser amounts in the liver, skin, and intestines. Small amounts are found in all other body tissues and the cerebrospinal fluid.
The drug is excreted as rapidly as it is absorbed in individuals with normal kidney function; however, recovery of the drug from the urine indicates that only about 25% of the dose given is absorbed. In neonates, young infants, and individuals with impaired kidney function, excretion is considerably delayed.
📦 How Supplied / Storage and Handling ▾
HOW SUPPLIED Penicillin V potassium for oral solution, USP is available as follows: 250 mg (400,000 Units) per 5 mL: bottles of 100 mL and 200 mL. Keep tightly closed. Store dry powder at 20° to 25°C (68° to 77°F) [See USP Controlled Room Temperature]. After reconstitution, solution must be stored in a refrigerator. Discard any unused portion after 14 days. KEEP THIS AND ALL MEDICATIONS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN.
📋 Description ▾
DESCRIPTION Penicillin V is the phenoxymethyl analog of penicillin G. Penicillin V potassium is the potassium salt of penicillin V. Each penicillin V potassium tablet, USP contains penicillin V potassium equivalent to 250 mg (400,000 units) or 500 mg (800,000 units) penicillin V.
The inactive ingredients present are dibasic calcium phosphate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, and sodium citrate. Each penicillin V potassium tablet, USP, 250 mg contains 0.71 mEq (27.9 mg) of potassium and each penicillin V potassium tablet, USP, 500 mg contains 1.43 mEq (55.8 mg) of potassium. Penicillin V potassium for oral solution, USP is an off-white to pinkish colored powder, which when reconstituted as directed, yields a red colored solution with cherry flavor in which each 5 mL contains penicillin V potassium equivalent to 125 mg (200,000 units) or 250 mg (400,000 units) penicillin V.
The inactive ingredients present are cherry flavor, FD&C Red #40, saccharin sodium, sodium benzoate, and sugar. Each 5 mL of reconstituted penicillin V potassium for oral solution, USP, 125 mg (200,000 units) per 5 mL contains 0.36 mEq (13.9 mg) of potassium. Each 5 mL of reconstituted penicillin V potassium for oral solution, USP, 250 mg (400,000 units) per 5 mL contains 0.71 mEq (27.9 mg) of potassium.
Monopotassium (2 S, 5 R, 6 R )-3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-6-(2-phenoxyacetamido)-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2-carboxylate. penicillin V potassium structural formula
💬 Information for Patients ▾
Information for Patients Patients should be counseled that antibacterial drugs, including penicillin V potassium tablets and penicillin V potassium for oral solution, should only be used to treat bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections (e.g., the common cold). When penicillin V potassium tablets or penicillin V potassium for oral solution are prescribed to treat a bacterial infection, patients should be told that although it is common to feel better early in the course of therapy, the medication should be taken exactly as directed.
Skipping doses or not completing the full course of therapy may (1) decrease the effectiveness of the immediate treatment, and (2) increase the likelihood that bacteria will develop resistance and will not be treatable by penicillin V potassium tablets, penicillin V potassium for oral solution, or other antibacterial drugs in the future. Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics which usually ends when the antibiotic is discontinued. Sometimes after starting treatment with antibiotics, patients can develop watery and bloody stools (with or without stomach cramps and fever) even as late as two or more months after having taken the last dose of the antibiotic.
If this occurs, patients should contact their physician as soon as possible.