Minocycline
Also Known As: Minocycline, Dynacin, Minomycin, Akamin, Minoderm, Aknemin, Solodyn, Sebomin, Mino-Tabs, Acnamino, Minocin, Vectrin
Minocycline (INN) is a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic, and has a broader spectrum than the other members of the group. It is a bacteriostatic antibiotic, classified as a long-acting type. As a result of its long half-life it generally has serum levels 2-4 times that of the simple water-soluble tetracyclines (150 mg giving 16 times the activity levels compared with 250 mg of tetracycline at 24- 48 hours).
Minocycline is the most lipid-soluble of the tetracycline-class antibiotics, giving it the greatest penetration into the prostate and brain, but also the greatest amount of central nervous system (CNS)-related side effects. These include vertigo and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri), and are significantly more common in female patients.
Due to poor urinary excretion, minocycline is a relatively poor tetracycline-class antibiotic choice for urinary pathogens sensitive to this antibiotic class, as its solubility in water, and levels in the urine, are less than all other tetracyclines.
Minocycline is not a naturally-occurring antibiotic, but was synthesized semi-synthetically from natural tetracycline antibiotics by Lederle Laboratories in 1972, and marketed by them under the brand name Minocin.
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