Cefuroxime Alternative Names
Cefuroxime is available under two primary formulations: cefuroxime sodium (parenteral form) and cefuroxime axetil (oral form), with the latter being an acetoxyethyl ester prodrug that is rapidly hydrolyzed to the active parent compound cefuroxime 1, 2.
Chemical and Generic Names
- Generic name: Cefuroxime (active compound)
- Oral prodrug: Cefuroxime axetil
- Parenteral form: Cefuroxime sodium
- Chemical designation: (6R,7R)-3-carbamoyloxymethyl-7-[Z-2-methoxyimino-2-(fur-2-yl)acetamido]ceph-3-em-4-carboxylate sodium salt 1
Common Brand Names
While the provided evidence does not explicitly list brand names, the literature references indicate:
- Ceftin® - mentioned as a brand name for cefuroxime axetil (Glaxo Wellcome) 3
- The drug is also available as generic cefuroxime axetil and cefuroxime sodium from multiple manufacturers 1
Formulation-Specific Terminology
The drug is referred to differently based on its formulation 4, 2:
- "Cefuroxime axetil" - when referring to the oral formulation (tablets or suspension)
- "Parenteral cefuroxime" or "cefuroxime sodium" - when referring to the injectable form (IM/IV)
- "Cefuroxime" - the active compound itself, used generically
Clinical Context
In medical literature and guidelines, the drug is consistently referred to as "cefuroxime axetil" for oral therapy and simply "cefuroxime" for parenteral administration 4, 5. The oral formulation was introduced in the 1980s following the established use of parenteral cefuroxime sodium 4, 6.