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What Is Flagyl Prescribed For?
As a type of antibiotic medication, Flagyl® (metronidazole) is prescribed for treating a wide variety of different infections. Some of the infections Flagyl is approved to treat include but are not limited to:
- Trichomoniasis (a sexually transmitted infection caused by a parasite)
- Certain infections, such as amoebic dysentery or amoebic liver abscess, caused by amoeba (a certain type of parasite)
- Various infections caused by anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that do not need oxygen to survive).
On occasion, healthcare providers may prescribe Flagyl for other, unapproved uses (or "off-label" uses). Flagyl is frequently used off-label to treat many other types of infections, particularly if they are caused by bacteria that are susceptible to this drug. It is also sometimes prescribed off-label to treat Crohn's disease.
(Click Flagyl Uses for a complete overview of what Flagyl is prescribed for, including specific uses for short-acting and long-acting forms of this medication and a detailed description of how this antibiotic works.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD