Starizo 200 Tablet: Uses, Composition, Side Effects & FAQs

Starizo 200 Tablet is an antibiotic for serious skin infections, the kind that spread under the skin and make you feel unwell. It is a prescription-only medicine in India. Each tablet contains tedizolid phosphate 200 mg, a newer antibiotic for tough skin germs. Doctors keep it for tough infections such as MRSA.

Starizo 200 is a single-ingredient antibiotic tablet. The "200" is the strength: each tablet contains 200 mg of tedizolid phosphate, a medicine from the oxazolidinone group.

India's drug regulator, CDSCO, approved these 200 mg tablets in July 2024 for adults and adolescents aged 12 and older. It is a reserve antibiotic, kept for infections that other drugs struggle to clear.

Starizo 200 is one of the tedizolid phosphate 200 mg brands sold in India. Check the strength printed on your pack.

Tedizolid works inside the bacterial cell. It attaches to one part of the ribosome, the cell's protein-building machine, and switches it off, so the bacteria cannot make what they need to grow and repair themselves. It mostly stops bacteria from multiplying rather than killing them outright, which gives your immune system the time to clear the infection.

Doctors usually prescribe Starizo 200 for:

• Cellulitis, where an area of skin turns red, swollen and warm
• Erysipelas, a bright red, raised rash that often appears on the face or legs
• Wound infections where the skin around a cut or surgical wound becomes infected
• Major skin abscesses, where a pocket of pus forms deep in the skin and needs drainage
• Infections caused by MRSA, a staph germ that many everyday antibiotics cannot kill

Indian guidance for skin infections still starts with older oral antibiotics, so expect this one only when those are unsuitable.

Starizo does not treat viral rashes, fungal infections or ordinary small boils. Using a strong reserve antibiotic for a mild problem only teaches resistant bacteria how to survive it.

Taking a reserve antibiotic for a small boil does not clear it faster.

1. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water.
2. Take it with or without food. Food does not change how well it works.
3. Take it at the same time each day so you do not forget.
4. Finish all six days even if the skin looks normal after two or three days.
5. Do not share your tablets with anyone else or save leftovers for later.
6. Tell your doctor if you cannot keep a dose down.

The usual adult dose is one 200 mg tablet once a day for six days. That short course is the full treatment, and food does not affect it.

Never take extra tablets or repeat the course on your own. More antibiotic does not heal the skin faster, but it does raise the chance of nausea, dizziness and resistant bacteria.

Adolescents aged 12 and older take the same 200 mg once a day for six days. This tablet is not meant for anyone who weighs less than 35 kg. The doctor will choose a different treatment for them. Starizo is not approved for children under 12 in India, so a younger child needs a different antibiotic.

If someone swallows too many tablets, go to the nearest hospital emergency department straight away and carry the strip or pack with you. Dialysis does not remove this medicine from the body, so do not wait for it to wear off.

Take it as soon as you remember if your next dose is more than 8 hours away. If it is less than 8 hours away, skip the missed one and take the next dose at the usual time. Never take two tablets at once to catch up.

In studies, most skin infections had started to shrink by 48 to 72 hours. If the area is still spreading after two days, or you feel worse instead of better, contact your doctor the same day.

Store the tablets below 25°C, in the original strip, away from sunlight and damp places such as the bathroom. Keep them out of reach of children, and check the expiry date before use.

Most people take Starizo 200 without any trouble. When side effects happen, they are usually mild and settle within a few days.

Common and mild:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness

Rare but serious (stop the medicine and see a doctor right away):

• Severe or bloody diarrhoea with stomach cramps, during the course or even weeks after it
• Fever, sore throat, mouth ulcers or unusual bruising and bleeding
• Agitation, sweating, shivering, a fast heartbeat, or muscle twitching and stiffness
• Swelling of the face, lips or throat, or a rash that spreads quickly
• Yellowing of the eyes or dark urine

The stomach upset and headache come from the antibiotic itself and usually settle once the course ends. A fever with bruising is a sign that blood cells have fallen, and it needs a doctor's check rather than a wait-and-see.

Most people can take Starizo 200 safely. It is not for:

• Children under 12, because it is not approved for that age
• A previous allergic reaction to tedizolid or any ingredient
• A bad reaction to a similar antibiotic in the same group

Tell your doctor before taking Starizo 200 if you have:

• Depression or anxiety and take antidepressants (some can trigger a dangerous reaction called serotonin syndrome)
• Very low white blood cells, or a weakened immune system (the medicine works less well and blood counts need watching)
• Diarrhoea now, or a recent course of other antibiotics (higher chance of a serious gut infection)
• Pregnancy or a plan to become pregnant (animal studies suggest a risk to the baby)
• Breastfeeding (it is not known whether the medicine passes into breast milk)
• Kidney or liver disease, or you are on dialysis (the dose usually stays the same, but your doctor should know)
• Being over 65 (no change in dose is needed, but watch for side effects)

Always tell your doctor about every medicine, supplement or home remedy you are using. There is no listed interaction with alcohol, but heavy drinking can make nausea and dizziness worse while you recover.

An antibiotic needs time, but some signs mean the infection is winning. Get medical help quickly if you have:

• Redness that spreads within hours, or a red streak running up the limb
• Fever that stays high after 48 to 72 hours of treatment
• Skin that turns dark, blisters or peels, or hurts far more than it looks
• Confusion, extreme sleepiness or fainting
• Severe or bloody diarrhoea
• Swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing or swallowing

Starizo 200 is a short, once-a-day antibiotic for serious skin infections, including those caused by resistant germs like MRSA. The most important point is to finish all six days exactly as prescribed and never use it for a small boil.