The water helps prevent the medicine from irritating the delicate lining of the esophagus and stomach. However, some types of penicillin can be taken on either a full or empty stomach. These include amoxicillin, amoxicillin combined with clavulanate, penicillin V, and the tablet form of bacampicillin. Liquid amoxicillin can be taken straight or mixed with other liquids such as infant formulas, fruit juice, milk, water, ginger ale, or other cold drinks. But if you mix amoxicillin with another liquid, be sure to drink it immediately and finish the entire drink to get the full dose of medicine.
Penicillins work best when there is a constant amount circulating in the body.
So it's important not to miss a dose. Also, it's best to take doses at evenly spaced intervals, both day and night. For example, if you are supposed to take four doses, they should be spaced about six hours apart. If this presents a problem, such as interrupting sleep or other activities, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before modifying the dosage. The drying agent is not a medicine and should not be swallowed.