How to use Oxytetracycline?

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Oxytetracycline belongs to the group of tetracycline antibiotics, is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. The drug is usually indicated in the treatment of Gram-negative and Gram-positive infections after determining that the bacteria are still susceptible to Oxytetracycline.

1. What is Oxytetracycline?

Oxytetracycline has a bacteriostatic effect, a tetracycline antibiotic.
Mechanism of action: Oxytetracycline reversibly binds to 30S and 50S ribosomal subunits, disrupts protein synthesis of bacterial cells, making bacteria unable to grow and proliferate, gradually dying. .
Oxytetracycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, active against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including Mycoplasma, Rickettsia and Chlamydia.
Recently Oxytetracycline is also used in the treatment of acne caused by Propionibacterium acnes.
Oxytetracycline and Polymyxin B combination ointment is more effective in treating Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Drug form and strength of Oxytetracycline
Oxytetracycline can be prepared alone in the form of capsules or in combination as intramuscular injection, ointment.
Capsules: 250mg Oxytetracycline. Injection (intramuscular): Hydrochloride form with 2% lidocaine, vials of 100 mg / 2 ml, 250 mg / 2 ml, 500 mg / 10 ml. Ointment: Oxytetracycline 30mg, Polymyxin B 10000 IU/ 1g; Oxytetracycline 5mg, Polymyxin B 10000 IU/ 1g, Hydrocortisone 15mg.

2. Indications and contraindications of the drug Oxytetracycline

2.1. Point

Currently, the antibiotic resistance of bacteria is increasing, so the use of Oxytetracycline is limited in the treatment of infections caused by common Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Use Oxytetracycline in the treatment of infections when it is determined that bacteria are still sensitive to Oxytetracycline.
Oxytetracycline is indicated in the treatment of infections caused by Mycoplasma infection in the genital tract, urinary tract; Rickettsia (including Q fever); Chlamydia infection and Brucella disease. Non-specific respiratory and urinary tract infections, ear and eye infections. Oxytetracycline should only be used when the patient cannot take penicillin or other antibiotics due to allergies, and the causative organism is still sensitive to oxytetracycline. Cholera and plague. Wrapped caviar and red caviar. Ointment combination of Oxytetracycline and Polymyxin B is indicated in the treatment of wounds and skin infections, pustular skin diseases such as impetigo. Ointment is a combination of Oxytetracycline, Polymyxin B and Hydrocortisone used to treat superficial bacterial infections of the eye such as allergic conjunctivitis, eyelid inflammation and in the ear such as otitis externa.

2.2. Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to antibiotics of the tetracycline group. Esophageal stricture, a blockage in the digestive tract. Children under 8 years old (if taken orally). CKD. Liver failure. Lupus erythematosus. Pregnant and lactating women. Porphyrin metabolism disorders. Patient is on vitamin A or retinoid therapy.

3. How to use Oxytetracycline

Oxytetracycline for oral administration. If the patient cannot drink, it can be administered intramuscularly. However, it is important to switch to oral therapy as soon as possible.
Intramuscular oxytetracycline can cause pain at usual doses and lower serum concentrations than when taken orally. For pain relief, intramuscular injection should be given deep into a relatively large muscle mass and by varying the injection site.
Food and milk reduce the absorption of Oxytetracycline from the gastrointestinal tract, so the drug should be taken 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

3.1. Dosage of Oxytetracycline

Adults: Usual oral dose: 250 - 500mg/time, every 6 hours. Maximum dose 4g/day. Intramuscular injection: 100mg/time, every 8 hours. Or 150mg/time, take 1 time every 12 hours. Or 250mg / time x 1 time / day. The maximum injection dose is 500mg/day. Children 8 years and older: Oral: 6.25 - 12.5mg/kg body weight/time, 1 time apart every 6 hours. Intramuscular: 5mg - 8.3mg/kg body weight/time, every 8 hours. Or 7.5 mg - 12.5 mg/kg body weight, injected every 12 hours. Maximum intramuscular dose of 250mg/day. Dose for some special cases: Brucella infection: 500mg/time, every 6 hours, for 3 weeks. In combination with Streptomycin IM 1g/time, every 12 hours for the first week, once/day for the second week. Uncomplicated gonorrhea: Take 500mg/time, every 6 hours. The maximum total dose is 9g. Syphilis: 500mg/time, every 6 hours. For early syphilis take the drug for 15 days; Late stage syphilis: Use for 30 days. Acne: 250-500mg/time x 2-4 times/day, depending on the condition and progression of the disease. Indicated for 6 - 8 weeks of treatment. It is necessary to monitor the progress and change the treatment regimen if the disease does not progress well. The mechanism of action of the antibiotics of the Tetracycline group is bacteriostatic, so the treatment time must be long enough to ensure that the bacteria after a period of inability to reproduce will die, ie the infection does not recur.
In case of common acute infection: The duration of treatment is usually 10 days or at least 3 days after the clinical symptoms are gone; fever: 7-14 days after the fever is gone; caviar: 6-8 weeks. If the condition does not improve, another suitable treatment regimen should be changed.

3.2. Oxytetracycline overdose and treatment

Oxytetracycline overdose symptoms include loss of appetite, nausea, and diarrhea. Treatment of overdose includes restriction of drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and supportive treatment.

4. Some cautions when using Oxytetracycline

Oxytetracycline may induce growth of non-susceptible microorganisms, including fungi. In the event of superinfection, Oxytetracycline should be discontinued and other appropriate therapy instituted.
To avoid irritation of the esophagus, Oxytetracycline should be taken with a sufficient amount of water in an upright position. In addition, the patient should not lie down immediately after taking the medicine and should not take the medicine before going to bed. The drug is not indicated for patients with esophageal obstruction.
Oxytetracycline can cause skeletal growth retardation, decreased bone growth in young children. Oxytetracycline accumulates in the developing bone and enamel, taking the drug during the period of growing teeth causes enamel hypoplasia and changes the tooth color to gray-yellow or brown.
Special care should be taken when using Oxytetracycline for the elderly.
Photosensitive reactions may occur in sensitized patients. Patients should be warned to avoid direct exposure to light, and to stop using the drug when signs of skin discomfort appear.
Discontinue Oxytetracycline if symptoms of benign intracranial hypertension such as headache and visual disturbances appear.
Oxytetracycline reduces the activity of prothrombin in the blood plasma, therefore the dose of anticoagulants should be reduced if co-administered.
High doses of Oxytetracycline have been associated with fatty liver syndrome and pancreatitis.
Pregnant women: Oxytetracycline is not indicated for systemic use in pregnant women in the second half of pregnancy. Oxytetracycline can cause skeletal retardation and bone growth, enamel hypoplasia and tooth discoloration in the fetus.
Lactating women: Oxytetracycline is excreted in breast milk, consideration should be given to not taking Oxytetracycline while breastfeeding or stopping breastfeeding while taking this drug.

5. Undesirable effects when using Oxytetracyclin

Adverse effects when using Oxytetracycline are usually gastrointestinal and dose dependent. This effect is most common with oral administration, but can also occur with intramuscular administration.
Gastrointestinal: Most commonly, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and abdominal discomfort. Esophageal ulcers may occur. Change in color of permanent teeth to dark brown or yellow, hypoplasia of enamel (seen in young children). Central nervous system: Increased intracranial pressure, pseudotumor brain, bulging fontanelle in young children. Skin: Pruritus, skin reactions, exfoliative dermatitis, photosensitivity. Pale diabetes. At the injection site: Thrombophlebitis. Some other side effects: Hypersensitivity or anaphylaxis, superinfection, pigment in toenails.

6. Oxytetracycline interaction with other drugs

Antacids containing aluminum, calcium, zinc or magnesium reduce the absorption of Oxytetracycline. Barbiturates, Phenytoin and Carbamazepine: These drugs reduce the half-life of Oxytetracycline. Warfarin: Oxytetracycline may increase the effects of this medicine. Because bacteriostatic drugs may interfere with the bactericidal activity of penicillins, the use of oxytetracycline in combination with penicillins should be avoided. Oxytetracycline may enhance the hypoglycemic effect of insulin and sulphonylureas in patients with diabetes mellitus. Benign raised intracranial pressure has been reported following concomitant use of Tetracycline and vitamin A or retinoids and is therefore contraindicated.

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