Name: Tetracycline (Achromycin V)
Class: Tetracycline
Mechanism: Active uptake into bacteria ®inhib protein synth by binding to 30S ribosome. Bacteriostatic
Absorption: Oral adequate, but incomplete. Impaired by divalent cations. IM painful. IV may cause thrombophlebitis. Never intrathecal.
Distrib.: Good CSF. Conc. in liver ® enterohepatic circ. Penetrates most tissues and fluids. Crosses placenta.
Metabolism.:
Excretion, t½: filtration (1°), bile
Toxicity/S.E.s: GI — burning, discomfort, nausea, vomiting; superinfection — due to broad spectrum, candida albicans (1°), staph enterocolitis, pseudomemb. colitis; hepatotoxicity (esp. in pregnancy); renal toxicity; Fanconi synd.; perm. brown discoloration of teeth; slowing of bone growth; phototoxicity; thrombophlebitis; hematopoetic changes; rare hypersens. rxns.
Utility: gram - cocci, gram - bacilli, acid fast bacilli, chlamydiae, mycoplasma, rickettsia, spirochetes. No effect on viruses or fungi. Also used for acne, prophylaxis for Travelers’ diarrhea. H. pylori (PUD).
Special Features: Broad spectrum. Decreased effect of oral contraceptives.