oxytetracycline

Oxytetracycline is a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic, the second of the group to be discovered.

Key facts

Drug.pregnancy_AU: D
Drug.verifiedrevid: 464196886
Drug.IUPAC_name: (4S,4aR,5S,5aR,6S,12aS)-4-(Dimethylamino)-3,5,6,10,11,12a-hexahydroxy-6-methyl-1,12-dioxo-1,4,4a,5,5a,6,12,12a-octahydrotetracene-2-carboxamide
Drug.image: Oxytetracycline.svg
Drug.image_class: skin-invert-image
Drug.image2: Oxytetracycline-from-xtal-Mercury-3D-balls.png
Drug.image_class2: bg-transparent
Drug.tradename: Terramycin
Drug.legal_status: Rx-only
Drug.routes_of_administration: By mouth, topical (eye drop)
Drug.ATC_prefix: D06
Drug.ATC_suffix: AA03

Article

6 sections

Contents

Medical uses
Side effects
History
Biosynthesis
Veterinary indications
References

Oxytetracycline is a broad-spectrum tetracycline antibiotic, the second of the group to be discovered.

Oxytetracycline works by interfering with the ability of bacteria to produce essential proteins. Without these proteins, the bacteria cannot grow, multiply and increase in numbers. Oxytetracycline therefore stops the spread of the infection, and the remaining bacteria are killed by the immune system or eventually die.