Tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, and clindamycin. 1987

W R Wilson, and F R Cockerill
Division of Infectious Diseases and Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Florida.

The tetracyclines are effective in the treatment of Chlamydia, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, and rickettsial infections and may also be used for gonococcal infections in patients unable to tolerate penicillins. These drugs may cause gastrointestinal irritation, photo-toxic dermatitis, diarrhea, vestibular damage, and hepatotoxicity in pregnant women. Chloramphenicol is used primarily for anaerobic infections, Haemophilus influenzae meningitis, and typhoid fever. The most important toxic effect of chloramphenicol is bone marrow suppression, which can be dose related or idiosyncratic. Erythromycin is the drug of choice for the treatment of infections caused by M. pneumoniae, Legionella species, group A beta-hemolytic streptococci, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The frequency of serious untoward effects associated with the use of erythromycin is low; epigastric distress may occur. Clindamycin is active against Bacteroides fragilis and other anaerobic microorganisms. Pseudomembranous enterocolitis has developed in as many as 10% of patients taking this drug. The use of clindamycin should be discontinued promptly if diarrhea occurs.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D002701 Chloramphenicol An antibiotic first isolated from cultures of Streptomyces venequelae in 1947 but now produced synthetically. It has a relatively simple structure and was the first broad-spectrum antibiotic to be discovered. It acts by interfering with bacterial protein synthesis and is mainly bacteriostatic. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 29th ed, p106) Cloranfenicol,Kloramfenikol,Levomycetin,Amphenicol,Amphenicols,Chlornitromycin,Chlorocid,Chloromycetin,Detreomycin,Ophthochlor,Syntomycin
D002981 Clindamycin An antibacterial agent that is a semisynthetic analog of LINCOMYCIN. 7-Chloro-7-deoxylincomycin,Chlolincocin,Chlorlincocin,Cleocin,Clindamycin Hydrochloride,Clindamycin Monohydrochloride,Clindamycin Monohydrochloride, Monohydrate,Dalacin C,7 Chloro 7 deoxylincomycin,Hydrochloride, Clindamycin,Monohydrate Clindamycin Monohydrochloride,Monohydrochloride, Clindamycin,Monohydrochloride, Monohydrate Clindamycin
D004917 Erythromycin A bacteriostatic antibiotic macrolide produced by Streptomyces erythreus. Erythromycin A is considered its major active component. In sensitive organisms, it inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 50S ribosomal subunits. This binding process inhibits peptidyl transferase activity and interferes with translocation of amino acids during translation and assembly of proteins. Erycette,Erymax,Erythromycin A,Erythromycin C,Erythromycin Lactate,Erythromycin Phosphate,Ilotycin,T-Stat,Lactate, Erythromycin,Phosphate, Erythromycin,T Stat,TStat
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001424 Bacterial Infections Infections by bacteria, general or unspecified. Bacterial Disease,Bacterial Infection,Infection, Bacterial,Infections, Bacterial,Bacterial Diseases
D012282 Rickettsia Infections Infections by the genus RICKETTSIA. Infections, Rickettsia,Rickettsial Diseases,Rickettsiosis,Infection, Rickettsia,Rickettsia Infection,Rickettsial Disease,Rickettsioses
D013754 Tetracyclines Closely congeneric derivatives of the polycyclic naphthacenecarboxamide. (Gilman et al., Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1117)

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