Find information on thousands of medical conditions and prescription drugs.

Bacitracin

Bacitracin is a mixture of related cyclic polypeptides produced by organisms of the licheniformis group of Bacillus subtilis var Tracy. As a toxic and difficult-to-use antibiotic, bacitracin doesn't work well orally. However, it is very effective topically. more...

Home

Baciim

Bactrim

Baros

Baycol

Beldin

Benylin

Benzalkonium chloride

Bextra

Biaxin

Biotin

Boniva

Bontril

BSS

Bucet

Buspar

Mechanism of action

Bacitracin interferes with the dephosphorylation of the C₅₅-isoprenyl pyrophosphate, a molecule which carries the building blocks of the peptidoglycan bacterial cell wall outside of the inner membrane .

Clinical use

As bacitracin zinc salt, and in combination with other topical antibiotics (usually polymyxin B and neomycin), it is used in ointment form for topical treatment of a variety of localized skin and eye infections, as well as for the prevention of wound infections. This ointment is sold in the United States under the brand name Neosporin.

In infants, it is sometimes administered intramuscularly for the treatment of pneumonias. This formulation is sold under the brand name Baciim®.

Read more at Wikipedia.org

• [List your site here Free!]

Question
From Better Homes & Gardens, 10/1/04 by Larry Keller

QUESTION:

I've heard that alcohol shouldn't be used to disinfect cuts and scrapes. Is hydrogen peroxide a better choice?

ANSWER: No, says Dr. Arlene Brown, a physician in private practice in Ruidoso, New Mexico, and a member of the board of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Hydrogen peroxide is great for sterilizing medical instruments as well as bleaching hair and teeth, but, like alcohol, it can damage living tissue. Continued application of the powerful disinfectant can lead to a wound that heals slowly or, in some cases, not at all.

That doesn't mean you should leave minor wounds untreated. "Soap and water is your best bet," says Brown. A warm compress can also help increase circulation to the area, speeding healing and reducing pain. A dab of petroleum jelly applied twice a day keeps dirt and germs out of the wound.

If you're still concerned about infection, consider a triple-antibiotic cream such as Neosporin. Bear in mind that an increasing number of people seem to be developing an allergy to one of the ingredients in triple-antibiotic creams--bacitracin. An allergy to bacitracin can cause slow healing or a rash.

Return to Bacitracin

Home

Contact

Resources

Exchange Links

ebay