What is Erythromycin?

Skin is one of the important factors in maintaining health and attracting individual beauty. Despite the importance given to skin health, skin problems such as spots, pimples, inflammations and infections can easily damage it and affect daily life. In the face of these skin problems, the use of effective and safe treatment products can have a significant effect on the improvement and health of the skin. In this article, we are going to take a deeper look at erythromycin ointment and examine its concept, importance and applications in skin care. We will also look at other pharmaceutical forms of erythromycin.

Pharmaceutical forms of erythromycin

Chemical and herbal medicines available in pharmacies are available in pharmaceutical forms such as tablets, serum, oral solution, injection solution, etc. According to the physical conditions and the required dosage, the treating doctor prescribes different medicinal forms of erythromycin. The pharmaceutical forms of this product include 250 mg and 500 mg tablets, 250 mg, 333 mg and 500 mg delayed release tablets, 250 mg capsules, 2% topical ointment, 2% topical pads, and 2% topical gel. . Each of these items has a different dosage that can be used with a doctor’s prescription.

Uses of erythromycin

Eye drops of this product are used to treat some eye infections (such as conjunctivitis) in adults and infants. This drug belongs to a class of drugs known as macrolide antibiotics. Erythromycin works by stopping the growth of bacteria and treats bacterial eye infections. Unnecessary use or incorrect use of any antibiotic can reduce its effectiveness. The most important uses of this drug are acne vulgaris (ointment), Legionnaires’ disease, non-gonococcal urethritis, bowel preparation, lymphogranuloma venerum, whooping cough, gastroparesis (off label), inguinal granuloma (off label) and chancroid.

Uses of erythromycin ointment

1. Eye infection
2. Acne vulgaris

Uses of erythromycin tablets

1. Legionnaires’ disease
2. Non-gonococcal urethritis
3. Bowel preparation
4. Lymphogranuloma Venerum
5. whooping cough
6. Gastroparesis (off label)
7. Inguinal granuloma (off label)
8. chancroid

Pharmacological effects and mechanism of action of erythromycin drug

Mechanism of action of erythromycin erythromycin inhibits bacterial growth, probably by blocking the dissociation of peptidyl tRNA from ribosomes, which stops RNA-dependent protein synthesis. PO absorption is variable but better with the salt forms than the base form. The drug crosses the placenta and enters breast milk. Relative diffusion from blood to cerebrospinal fluid is minimal even with inflammation. Finally, it is excreted through feces (primarily) and urine (2-15% as unchanged drug).

Dosage of erythromycin

To use the eye ointment, wash your hands first. To avoid contamination, be careful not to touch the tip of the ointment tube or let it touch the eye, eyelid, or any other surface. Do not wear contact lenses while using this medicine. Sterilize contact lenses according to the manufacturer’s instructions and consult your doctor before using them again. After using the ointment, wait for a while until the ointment layer is removed from your eyes. The dosage is based on your medical condition and your response to treatment, do not change or stop the dosage prescribed by your doctor.

Dosage of erythromycin tablets in adults

1. Erythromycin tablets are prescribed for the treatment of Legionnaires’ disease 1 to 4 grams per day for 21 days.
2. The recommended dose for non-gonococcal urethritis is 500 mg every 6 hours for 7 days.
3. For bowel preparation, one gram should be taken at 13:00, 2:00 and 23:00 days before surgery along with PO neomycin and mechanical cleansing of the colon.
4. Venrom lymphogranuloma 500 mg every 6 hours for 21 days.
5. To treat whooping cough, 500 mg every 6 hours for 21 days.
6. For gastroparesis (off-label), 250 to 500 mg three times a day before meals are prescribed.
7. Granuloma inguinale (off-label) 500 mg four times a day for 21 days.
8. Finally, to treat chancroid (off label) 500 mg three times a day for 7 days.

Dosage of erythromycin tablets in children

1. For the treatment of chlamydia infection in children, 50 mg is prescribed every 6 hours for 14 days.
2. Pertussis 40 to 50 mg every 6 hours for 14 days, the total amount consumed should not be more than 2 grams per day.
3. To treat streptococcal pharyngitis, 20 mg every 12 hours should be used.
4. Bowel preparation 20 mg at 13:00, 2:00 and 23:00 days before surgery should be used along with PO neomycin and mechanical cleansing of the colon.

The dosage of erythromycin ointment

1. Apply topically (morning and evening) on ​​the affected areas after thoroughly washing and drying the skin.
2. The dosage for children and the elderly should be determined by a doctor.

Time to use erythromycin ointment

To apply erythromycin eye ointment, tilt your head back, look up, and gently pull the lower eyelid down to form a bag. Put about half an inch (1 cm) of ointment into the bag as directed by your doctor. Gently close the eye and rotate the eyeball in all directions to distribute the medicine. Try not to blink or rub your eyes. If you are using another type of eye medication (such as drops or gel), wait at least 5 minutes before applying the other medication. Stopping the medication early may allow the bacteria to continue to grow, leading to a return of the infection.

Precautions

Before using erythromycin ointment or tablets, read the drug information on the product packaging. The manufacturer has provided you with detailed information regarding usage, contraindications, precautions, and dosage. Do not use if you are allergic to this medicine or other macrolide antibiotics (such as clarithromycin). Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details regarding allergies or precautions. During pregnancy, this drug should be used only if needed.

1. Liver dysfunction, including elevated liver enzymes, hepatocellular hepatitis, and cholestasis have been reported.
2. Prescribing treatment in the absence of proven, strongly suspected bacterial infection or prophylactic indication is not beneficial for the patient and increases the risk of developing drug-resistant bacteria.
3. Because erythromycin is primarily eliminated via the liver, caution should be exercised when administering erythromycin to patients with hepatic impairment.
4. Exacerbation of symptoms of myasthenia gravis and new onset of symptoms of myasthenic syndrome have been reported in patients treated with erythromycin.
5. Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) has been reported in infants after treatment with erythromycin. Complications and problems such as whooping cough or chlamydia trachomatis infections in babies have caused deaths or significant complications.
6. Long-term or repeated use of erythromycin may lead to overgrowth of non-susceptible bacteria or fungi. If a more severe infection occurs, the drug should be discontinued and appropriate treatment initiated.
7. If necessary, incision and drainage or other surgical procedures should be performed along with antibiotic therapy. Observational studies in humans have reported cardiovascular abnormalities following exposure to erythromycin-containing medicinal products during early pregnancy.

Erythromycin contraindications

1. Documented hypersensitivity
2. Simultaneous use with terfenadine
3. Concomitant use with HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors that are extensively metabolized by CYP3A4 (lovastatin or simvastatin).
4. Simultaneous use of erythromycin with ergotamine or dihydroergotamine

Diarrhea associated with Clostridium difficile

1. Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with the use of nearly all antibacterial agents, including erythromycin, and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis.
2. Treatment with antibacterial agents alters the normal flora of the colon, leading to the development of CDAD (Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea).
3. Hypertoxicity increases morbidity and mortality because these infections can be resistant to antimicrobial therapy and may require colectomy.

Side effects of erythromycin tablets

Eye irritation, itching, pain, inflammation, redness, blurred vision, etc. are some of the side effects of erythromycin tablets. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist right away. Most people who use this drug do not experience serious side effects. Using this medicine for long or frequent periods may lead to other types of eye infections, including fungal infections. If you notice new or worsening eye symptoms (such as pain, swelling, thick discharge, or pus), stop using this medicine and call your doctor.

Side effects of erythromycin ointment

1. Contact sensitivity
2. dryness
3. Erythema
4. skin irritation
5. Skin sensitivity

Side effects of erythromycin tablets

1. stomach ache
2. Confusion, dizziness and headache
3. anaphylaxis
4. Diarrhea and nausea
5. Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis
6. high blood pressure
7. illusions
8. Cholestatic hepatitis

Drug interaction of erythromycin

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk of serious side effects. Make a list of the chemical and herbal medicines you use and show it to your doctor when you see him. No significant drug interactions have been observed in the topical and eye ointment of this product, but erythromycin tablets have many drug interactions.

A review of drug interactions of erythromycin tablets

1. There have been post-marketing reports of cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and torsades de pointes due to concomitant use of drugs known to cause QT prolongation.
2. Increased anticoagulant effects, which may be more pronounced in the elderly, have been reported with concomitant use of erythromycin and oral anticoagulants (eg, warfarin).
3. Erythromycin increases the systemic exposure (AUC) of sildenafil. Consider sildenafil dose reduction in patients.
4. Post-marketing reports indicate that concomitant use with ergotamine or dihydroergotamine is associated with acute ergot toxicity characterized by vasospasm and ischemia of the central nervous system, organs, and other tissues.

Use of erythromycin (erythromycin) during pregnancy and breastfeeding

There is no specific information and research regarding the effect of this product on pregnant women and fetuses. Animal data have not shown any risk and not many human studies are available. Pregnant women and lactating mothers should take this medicine with a doctor’s prescription. There are reports that show that erythromycin does not reach the fetus in sufficient concentration to prevent congenital syphilis. Infants born to women treated during pregnancy with oral erythromycin for primary syphilis should be treated with an appropriate penicillin regimen.

Erythromycin storage conditions

Erythromycin tablets, ointment, eye drops and topical gel should be stored at room temperature away from light and moisture. Keep all chemical and herbal medicines out of the reach of children and animals. Dispose of this product properly when it has expired or is no longer needed. Avoid pouring all kinds of medicines into the toilet well, street and sewer.

A final word about erythromycin ointment

As we said in this article from Positive Green Pharmacy magazine, this ointment plays an important role in human skin care as a combined antibiotic with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. The pill of this drug has side effects such as abdominal pain, confusion, dizziness and headache, anaphylaxis, diarrhea and nausea, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, high blood pressure and hallucinations.

Erythromycin ointment is one of the basic tools in the toolbox of skin health professionals and improving skin health. Strictly following the instructions and expert recommendations of this ointment can help people to have healthier, more beautiful and problem-free skin.

Site source: Medscape