Ciproxin – An Antibiotic for Today’s Resistant Infections
In today’s ever developing world, not only are the medicines that we have available for treating disease constantly improving, some of the bacteria we are trying to defeat are also mutating and becoming resistant to treatments that have previously proved successful. We live in a world of potential super bugs like bird flu and MRSA (also known as Golden Staph) whose deadly consequences we are just beginning to understand.
Not only are the bugs forever changing, we also live in uncertain times in terms of world peace which brings with it the threat of bio terrorism. This might sound far-fetched but you only have to switch on the news to hear about ‘the War on Terror’. Back in the mid-1990s terrorists in Japan showed how such an atrocity might occur with the sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway. Imagine if anthrax had been released instead? And, as Penicillin is no longer regarded as the ‘cure-all’ that it was once thought to be and scientists have long sought alternative medications.
Ciproxin is one such antibiotic. It has proven itself effective against bacteria that have become resistant to more familiar antibiotics. It also features in treatment protocols for anthrax, plague and tularemia (or “rabbit fever” which can be fatal if not treated with the correct antibiotics) any one of which could become the weapon of choice for bioterrorists.
What is Ciproxin?
The active ingredient in Ciproxin is ciprofloxacin which belongs to a group of broad-spectrum antibiotics called the quinolones.
How does Ciproxin work?
Unlike many other antibiotics, Ciproxin actually kills the bacteria that cause an infection rather than just stopping them from replicating. To do this Ciproxin enters the bacterial cell and inhibits a bacterial enzyme called DNA-gyrase. DNA-gyrase is involved in the production of the genetic material (DNA) of the bacterial cell. If it is stopped from working then the bacteria cannot repair or reproduce themselves and this leads to their death.
What is Ciproxin used to treat?
Ciproxin is effective against a wide range of bacteria and, in particular, it can be used to fight some of the strains of bacteria that tend to be resistant to other more commonly used antibiotics.
Ciproxin is especially useful against a sub-group of bacteria called Gram-negative bacteria. There are a large number of Gram-negative bacteria including those that cause food poisoning such as Salmonella and Shigella and those that cause infections of the urinary tract such as E.coli.
Ciproxin can also kill Staph aureus, including the more resistant MRSA (Golden Staph) strain.
Because Ciproxin can be used to treat such a wide range of diseases, its coverage extends across the following list (which should not be considered as a comprehensive review of Ciproxin‘s capabilities):
Bacterial infections of the lungs and airways (respiratory tract), such as streptococcus pneumonia (but not pneumococcal pneumonia), haemophilus influenza, legionnaire’s disease , pontiac fever and bronchitis as well lung infections associated with cystic fibrosis
Bacterial ear, nose and throat infections such as sinusitis and otitis media
Bacterial eye infections such as bacterial conjunctivitis
Bacterial infections of the urinary tract such as cystitis, kidney infections (pyelonephritis) and urethritis.
Bacterial infection of the prostate gland (protatitis)
Bacterial infections of the skin and soft tissue, such as infected ulcers, wounds or burns, abscesses and cellulitis
Bacterial infections of bones and joints, such as osteomyelitis and septic arthritis
Abdominal bacterial infections, such as peritonitis or abdominal abscesses
Bacterial infections of the gastrointestinal system such as typhoid fever, cholera, bacterial dysentery or infective diarrhoea
Pelvic bacterial infections, such as pelvis inflammatory disease
Gonorrhoea – a single dose treatment protocol is used although be aware that some resistance does appear to be developing
Bacterial infections of the blood (septicaemia or blood poisoning)
Polycystic kidney disease
Q fever
Epididymitis and orchitis
Preventing infections in people having stomach or intestinal surgery or endoscopic procedures, where there is an increased risk of infection
Preventing or treating anthrax of the inhalational type
In children, Ciproxin is specifically used to treat children aged 5-17 years suffering from cystic fibrosis who develop a lung infection caused by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. Children can also take Ciproxin as a treatment for or prevention against inhalation type anthrax.
Dosage
Because Ciproxin can be used to treat such a wide range of infections, both the nature and severity of the infection must be taken into account when determining the dose required.
The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the infection but the minimum recommended time is two days after the signs and symptoms of the infection have disappeared.
In most cases 250-750 mg taken every 12 hours for a period of 7-14 days will be sufficient although severe and complicated infections may require much longer.
Ciproxin should be taken on an empty stomach – 2 hours after a meal – although if there is stomach irritation it can be taken with food. Taking Ciproxin with food can slow and decrease absorption slightly. The tablets should be swallowed whole not chewed.
It is advisable to drink plenty of fluids while taking Ciproxin. And it is important to complete the whole course of Ciproxin tablets, unless your Doctor tells you otherwise, even if you are feeling better and your symptoms have gone.
Side-effects
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain are the most common side-effects associated with Ciproxin. Other possible side-effects include a rash or itching, headache, restlessness, dizziness/ light headedness, a bad taste in the mouth, tendon inflammation (tendinitis)/tendon rupture, sensitivity to sunlight and seizures.
Warning
Because Ciproxin may make you dizzy/light headed (which may be exaserpated by drinking alcohol), do not operate machinery or drive until you know how Ciproxin affects you.
When taking Ciproxin, avoid drinking more than one or two caffeinated beverages per day and avoid foods containing large amounts of calcium, such as milk, yoghurt, or cheese.
If you are taking the following drugs, take them 6 hours before or 2 hours after taking Ciproxin. Do not take them within 2 hours of taking Ciproxin:
Antacids such as Mylanta
Vitamins
Iron supplements
Zinc supplements
Sucralfate (Carafate)
Inform your Doctor if you intend to take Ciproxin and you are also taking the following:
Asthma medication such as theophylline
Gout medicine such as Benemid
Blood thinners such as Coumadin
Ciproxin should be used with caution and your Doctor should be notified if the Ciproxin is intended for the any of the following:
Children and adolescents
Elderly people
People using corticosteroid medicines
People with kidney disease
People with a history of convulsions (fits) or epilepsy
People with a history of disorders of the brain and nervous system
Do not take Ciproxin if:
You are allergic to other quinolone-type antibiotics such as norfloxacin or ofloxacin
You have a history of tendon disorders caused by previous treatment with a quinolone-type antibiotic
It is not recommended that you take Ciproxin if you are pregnant, become pregnant or are breast feeding
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