Minocycline

View the A-Detail™ on Minocycline (Minocin®).

Minocycline is a tetracycline antibiotic, which is used for acne treatment. It is the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects that are important. If your inflamed pimples do not respond well to topical acne antibiotics, or if you have acne on many areas of your body, antibiotics in pill form can be more effective, easier to take and more convenient.

How Do I Use This Medication?

This is best taken on an empty stomach. Food reduces its absorption by about 10% and milk reduces it by 33%. This drug is not used in a topical form. Minocycline should not be used if you are pregnant or if you are breast-feeding.

How Well Does It Work?

How Does It Work?

This is a bacteriostatic antibiotic, that is, it inhibits the growth of bacteria. It has an anti-inflammatory action, which is certainly important when treating conditions like acne.

It is used in the following conditions:

Some of its other uses include the following:

Will There Be Side Effects?

As with many other antibiotics, you may experience indigestion and abdominal upset. Dizziness is a side effect that usually settles after a few days. Skin pigmentation, particularly on the face and mucous membranes may occur with chronic use. Children under the age of 8 who are given this drug may see pigmentation of their teeth. However, this is rarely seen in adults.

Rashes are uncommon but when they are seen, such as with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, they can be severe. Benign intracranial hypertension is only seen rarely. Symptoms include headaches and blurry vision. However, you can get headaches without developing this complication. Suppression of bone marrow and kidney toxicity is very rare.

A hypersensitivity reaction to hives, which includes angioedema, and joint swelling, has been reported. Drug-induced hepatitis and drug-induced systemic lupus are rare.

Can I Take Other Medications?

Which Brands Are Available?

Minocycline (Minocin®, Dynacin®, Vectrin®)

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INTRODUCTION
Minocycline inhibits the growth of Propionibacterium acnes. Anti-inflammatory actions. Drug Class: Antibiotic, Anti-inflammatory-long acting tetracycline... | Read more ...

CLININCAL EXPERIENCE
Oral antibiotics have had a significant role in the treatment of inflammatory disease such as acne, rosacea, perioral dermatitis and others. Tetracycline has long been the first line antibiotic for acneform eruptions because of its efficacy and affordability although in inconvenience of divides doses on an empty stomach has compromised compliance in some. P. acnes resistance to Tetracycline and Erythromycin has meant looking elsewhere for an alternative antibiotic. Bacterial resistance to Minocycline has been much slower to develop... | Read more ...

INDICATIONS
Labeled Indications: Dermatologic Dermatologic: Acne vulgaris, Inflammatory acne, Anthrax, Chancroid, Granuloma inguinale, Lymphogranuloma venerum, Skin and soft tissue infections , Syphilis, Yaws... | Read more ...

PATIENT PROFILE
Any inflammatory acne or rosacea patient who is not likely to respond to topical therapy alone. If scarring present or nodulocystic acne a more aggressive approach may be necessary... | Read more ...

DOSING
Capsules: Minocycline 50 and 100mg (Minocin* Dynacin*) Suspension: Minocycline 50mg (Minocin* Dynacin*) Parenteral: Minocycline 100mg (Minocin IV*) ... | Read more ...

EFFICACY
Improvement in inflammatory lesion in acne is about a 20% reduction a month. It may take 1-2 months to see initial benefit. After 6 months there is an approximate 60-70% improvement in inflammatory acne counts. Studies over the last 20 years have shown that tetracycline, erythromycin, doxycycline and minocycline have about the same efficacy in acne... | Read more ...

COMPLIANCE
All tetracyclines are broad-spectrum bacteriostatic agents. They are well absorbed, although oxytetracycline and tetracycline should not be taken with food. Minocycline as well as Doxycycline are absorbed almost as well on an empty as full stomach... | Read more ...

SIDE EFFECTS, SAFETY AND RISKS
Discard outdated tetracyclines as degradation products may be toxic. Not recommended in pregnancy and in children under 8 years of age as permanent enamel hyperplasia, discoloration of teeth, and inhibition of fetal skeletal growth may occur... | Read more ...

COST OF TREATMENT
Cost of treatment of 1 month of standard dose for acne: Minocycline 100 mg daily for 1 month $42. Tetracycline 1gm daily for 1 month ... | Read more ...

View the entire Minocycline (Minocin^®, Dynacin^®, Vectrin^®) presentation.

Oral Antibiotics: Minocycline