Types of medicine
What Is a Lincosamide? Clindamycin
Lincosamide · say it: lin-KOH-suh-mydeAlso written: lincosamide antibiotic, lincosamides, clindamycin, lincomycin
Short answer
A lincosamide is a type of antibiotic, mainly clindamycin, used for some skin, bone, dental and other infections.
What it means
Lincosamides are a small group of antibiotics that stop bacteria making proteins. The main one in use is clindamycin; lincomycin is an older member. Clindamycin is used for some skin and soft tissue infections, bone and joint infections, dental infections, some vaginal infections (as a cream) and acne (as a gel or lotion). It is sometimes chosen for people with a penicillin allergy.
Clindamycin tablets and injections carry a boxed warning about Clostridioides difficile-associated diarrhea, a bowel infection that can follow antibiotic use and can range from mild diarrhea to serious colitis. The label is telling you to report severe, watery or bloody diarrhea, or stomach cramps and fever, even weeks after finishing the course.
Lincosamides are a separate class from macrolides and penicillins, although some bacteria that resist macrolides can also resist clindamycin.
Where you may see it
- Boxed warnings on clindamycin labels
- Dental and skin infection prescriptions
- Culture and sensitivity reports
📄 How it looks on a report
Clostridioides difficile-associated diarrhea has been reported with nearly all antibacterial agents, including clindamycin.
🙅 What it does not mean
- Mild loose stools are common; the warning is mainly about severe, watery or bloody diarrhea.
- A boxed warning does not mean the bowel infection is likely to happen to you.
- Clindamycin is not a penicillin, but any antibiotic allergy should still be mentioned.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “Lincosamide”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Clindamycin Phosphate
A lincosamide antibacterial medicine
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “Lincosamide” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
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