Tetracycline ointment is a broad-spectrum antibiotic from the tetracycline group that has a bacteriostatic effect.
Many people are familiar with the drug. Its main advantages are high efficiency and low cost.
Let's consider the instructions for using it in more detail.
What is in the medicine?
The main active ingredient in the preparation is tetracycline at a concentration of 1% or 3%.
Lanolin and petroleum jelly are additionally added to the eye ointment (1 percent). You can find it on sale in aluminum tubes of 3, 7 or 10 g.
In a 3% ointment, vaseline, ceresin, lanolin, paraffin and sodium disulfite act as auxiliary substances. It is available in tubes of 5, 10, 30 and 50g.
Instructions for use for tetracycline eye ointment are very detailed.
Pharmacological effect of the drug
Tetracycline is an antibiotic active against Chlamydia spp., Rickettsia spp., Spirochaetaceae, Mycoplasma spp., as well asgram-negative bacteria Bordetella pertussis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter spp., Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp., Shigella spp., aerobic gram-positive bacteria Streptococcus spp. and Staphylococcus spp. (including strains that cause penicillinase).
Tetracycline is not effective against resistant Proteus spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia spp., most fungi and small viruses, as well as many strains of Bacteroides fragilis and group A beta-hemolytic streptococci.
The bacteriostatic effect of the antibiotic is achieved by suppressing the formation of protein pathogens at the level of ribosomes.
Indications for drug use
Tetracycline ointment is used to combat various skin diseases. The tool effectively treats acne, purulent inflammation of the epidermis (furunculosis), folliculitis (inflammatory processes of the hair follicles), inflammation of the epidermis with microbial infection, trophic ulcers, streptostaphyloderma. Also, a 3% ointment can serve as a disinfectant and wound healing agent.
1% tetracycline ointment is used for infectious eye diseases (barley, conjunctivitis, blepharitis, trachoma).
How to use the medicine
The method of application and frequency of use of tetracycline ointment depend on the disease.
Eye ointment for conjunctivitis and other eye infections is placed with a sterile cotton swab in the conjunctival sac and carefullydistributed with massaging movements along the outer side of the eyelid. Apply the ointment three to five times a day for five to seven days.
For the treatment of skin pathologies, the ointment is applied to the affected areas once or twice a day. From above, you can apply a sterile dressing, which needs to be changed every 12-24 hours. Duration of therapy - from several days to three weeks.
If the remedy is used to get rid of acne, then it must be applied pointwise.
Side effects
Most often, the use of tetracycline ointment causes local allergic reactions, manifested in the form of itching, redness or burning. In this case, you should stop using the drug.
General body reactions are also possible, such as lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, inflammation of the tongue and esophagus. Quincke's edema and increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight rarely occur. Prolonged use of the product can cause candidiasis, dysbacteriosis, lack of B vitamins, a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood, anemia.
The use of tetracycline eye ointment usually does not cause unwanted side effects. In rare cases, reactions similar to side effects from tetracycline treatment of skin diseases may occur. Possible manifestations of allergies, Quincke's edema, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea.
Manifestations of hypersensitivity to the drug andthe occurrence of adverse reactions require discontinuation of the use of this agent. If necessary, another antibiotic of similar action may be prescribed.
Is tetracycline ophthalmic ointment always indicated?
Contraindications
The drug should not be used for he alth problems such as liver dysfunction, decreased levels of leukocytes in the blood, mycotic (fungal) diseases, increased individual sensitivity to the active substance or auxiliary components. Also, tetracycline ointment is not prescribed for women in late pregnancy (third trimester) and children under eight years of age.
Use during pregnancy and lactation
Tetracycline ointment 3% is not recommended for use during the last trimester of pregnancy or while breastfeeding. This is due to the ability of tetracycline to penetrate the placental barrier and cause tooth enamel hypoplasia and discoloration, as well as hinder the growth and development of the bones of the fetal skeleton and cause fatty infiltration of the liver.
Ointment 1% for the treatment of eye diseases can only be used as prescribed by a doctor after a special analysis. The patient gives a bacterial culture to determine the pathogenic microflora and establish its sensitivity to antibiotics. Tetracycline-based ointment is indicated for use only if the bacteria are not sensitive to other antibiotics. The potential risk to the unborn child, gestational age and duration of treatment are also taken into account.
Whenwhen using the remedy (even as prescribed and under the supervision of a doctor), it is important to be careful, since tetracycline can disrupt the process of mineralization of bone tissue, which interferes with the normal development of the skeleton. Therefore, the drug should be used only as a last resort, if the expected benefits to the he alth of the mother outweigh the possible risks. For example, the use of the remedy is justified for conjunctivitis, which causes a bacterial infection in a weakened female body.
Let's consider what else the instructions for tetracycline ointment say?
What is the shelf life and storage method of the drug
When closed, this medication in jars can be stored for no more than two years, and an unopened aluminum tube - for about 3 months. The most comfortable storage conditions are rooms with an air temperature of no higher than 20 degrees. It is best to keep the ointment in the refrigerator. But the expiration date should be strictly monitored.
Drug Interactions
Tetracycline hydrochloride, reacting with ions of iron, calcium and other metals, forms sparingly soluble complex compounds with them, therefore it is contraindicated to use the agent simultaneously with iron preparations, drugs containing magnesium, calcium and aluminum s alts, as well as with dairy products.
Also, do not use the drug in conjunction with other topical agents intended for the treatment of eye diseases.
Means strictly prohibiteduse simultaneously with antibacterial drugs from the penicillin series.
Also, do not use tetracycline ointment during treatment with antacids and in combination with cholestyramine or colestipol, as these substances accelerate the absorption of the antibiotic.
When used together with oleandomycin and erythromycin, the therapeutic effect is mutually enhanced.
Drug overdose
There are currently no reported cases of overdose of tetracycline eye ointment.
The product is stored in a dark, cool place for no more than two months after opening. The shelf life of the drug is 2 years from the date of manufacture.
Analogues
The only structural analogue of a drug with the same active ingredient is Tetracycline.
There are several drugs similar to tetracycline ointment in terms of pharmacological action, for example, Gentamicin, Kolbiocin, Levomycetin, Torbex.
Recommendations for use
This medication is not contraindicated when wearing contact lenses. However, experts recommend using them only one hour after the introduction of tetracycline ointment. There is no information on the effectiveness of the product while taking alcoholic beverages.
Against eye infections in newborns
Ointment 1% is in some cases used to treat ophthalmic diseases in newborns. The decision on the advisability of using this tool forthe child is accepted only by the attending pediatrician, having previously excluded the hypersensitivity of the child's body to the components of the composition. The doctor determines the dosage, treatment regimen and its duration.
We reviewed the instructions for tetracycline eye ointment.
Reviews
The tool is very popular. There are many positive reviews about tetracycline ointment.
Patient reports of unpleasant adverse reactions are extremely rare. Many people note the rapid onset of a positive effect from the use of the remedy. It is often used to treat both skin and eye diseases. Usually, a one percent ointment is used in this way. In addition, sometimes it is used as a veterinary drug. The low cost of tetracycline ointment is also noted, which is its undoubted advantage.
The only drawback of the product, according to patients, is its pronounced unpleasant odor.
