Metronidazole Benzoate — Compare Prices at US & Canada Pharmacies

Metronidazole benzoate is a bulk compounding chemical, not a finished dose — it's the ester form of metronidazole (the active ingredient in Flagyl), chosen specifically because it's far less bitter than metronidazole base. There's no FDA-approved commercial liquid metronidazole suspension marketed in the US, so when a patient — most often a child, or an adult who can't swallow tablets — needs a liquid form, a compounding pharmacy uses bulk metronidazole benzoate powder to prepare a custom oral suspension, typically flavored to make it tolerable. This 25 g bottle is that raw ingredient, sold to compounding pharmacies rather than dispensed to patients directly.

Once compounded into a suspension, it works exactly like any other metronidazole product: an antibiotic and antiprotozoal active against anaerobic bacteria (including Bacteroides and Clostridium species) and protozoal infections such as giardiasis and amebiasis. The same core warnings that apply to metronidazole in any form apply here — avoid alcohol during treatment and for at least three days afterward, since the combination can cause a disulfiram-like reaction (flushing, nausea, rapid heartbeat), and metronidazole can intensify the effect of warfarin, increasing bleeding risk.

Because compounded suspensions aren't standardized the way an FDA-approved liquid product would be, concentration, flavoring, and stability can vary by pharmacy — confirm the exact strength and shake/storage instructions with the compounding pharmacist, and don't assume dosing volumes are interchangeable between different compounded batches.