Doxycycline

Other names used:

• Unidox®

Active Ingredients:

• Doxycycline

How does Doxycycline work and what pharmaceutical group does it belong to?

Doxycycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic that belongs to a group of antibiotics called tetracyclines. Bacteriostatic effect of Doxycycline is associated with suppressing protein synthesis on ribosomes in the bacterial cell. Doxycycline binds to 30S ribosomal subunits and inhibits the translation of messenger RNAs to proteins. Doxycycline is active against gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms.

Which conditions are treated with Doxycycline?

ENT infections(otitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis)

• Skin and soft tissue infections (furunculosis, whitlow,wounds, phlegmon,abscess,infectious burns)
• Respiratory tract infections(pharyngitis, acute and chronic bronchitis, tracheitis, bronchopneumonia, lobar pneuminia, lung abscess, empyema)
• Infections of the urinary tract (cystitis, pyelonephritis, prostatitis, urethritis, uretrocystitis, urogenital mycoplasmosis, endomethritis, endocervitis, gonorrhea)
• Eye infections
• Infections of the gastrointestinal tract and bile expelling passages(cholecystitis, cholangitis, gastroenterocolitis, bacterial dysenteria, traveler's diarrhea
• Chlamidiosis (eg proctatitis)
• Q fever
• Malaria(prophylaxis)
• Acne
• Syphilis
• Frambesia
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Yersiniosis
• Cholera caused by Vibrio comma
• Brucelliasis
• Legionellosis
• Rickettsial disease
• Conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis
• St. Sebastian's disease caused by Yersinia pestis

What should a patient know before using Doxycycline?

The Doxycycline should not be used in cases of:

• Reactions of hypersensitivity to any of the medication ingredients
• Liver dysfunction (cirrhosis, hepatitis)
• Blood diseases such as leukopenia
• Systemic lupus erythematosus
• Children under 8 years of age
• Pregnancy (doxycycline belongs to a pregnancy category D meaning that use of this medication during pregnancy can leads to severe fetus damages
• Breastfeeding

Which adverse effects may manifest when using the medication?

The most common doxycycline side effects include:

• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Indigestion and heartburn
• Vomiting
• Skin reaction to sunlight (photosensitivity)
• Loss of appetite.

Less common doxycycline side effects include: liver damage, vision changes, glossitis, enterocolitis, vagina yeast infection, hypertension, thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, esophagitis, intracranial hypertension,

It is not necessary that the side effects will manifest in an individual but the possibility still exist. For more information please consult your health care provider.

Which groups of drugs or specific preparations may interact with Doxycycline?

The drug is affected by the following:

• Aluminum, calcium, magnesium, or iron products
• Barbiturates
• Bile-acid sequestrants
• Oral contraceptives
• Typhoid vaccine
• Penicillins
• Retinoids
• Anticonvulsants
• ACE inhibitors
• Blood thinners (warfarin)
• AIDS treatment

Tell your doctor about all the herbal preparations as well as prescription drugs that you are currently taking even if they are not on the list.

Important information for the patient: Doxycycline is supplied for individual use. Do not use it to treat other conditions not listed in the leaflet. Keep the product out of children reach. Do not reuse any disposable materials if supplied with the preparation.