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Minocycline

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Description

Minocycline is an antibiotic medicine containing Minocycline. It is used to treat various bacterial infections occurring in different areas of the body such as lungs, ears, throat, reproductive organs, skin, urinary tract, etc. Minocycline may also be used as a preventive treatment for meningitis (swelling of the protective membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord). It works by preventing the growth of bacteria. Minocycline may cause side effects like diarrhoea, loss of appetite, dry mouth, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. Inform your doctor if the side effects become severe or persist for a long time. The oral form of Minocycline is not recommended for use in children below 12 years of age. Minocycline is a prescription medicine available as a tablet, tablet ER, capsule and injection. The dose and duration of treatment will be decided by your doctor based on the severity of the infection and other underlying conditions. The oral form of Minocycline can be taken 30 minutes before food to avoid food interactions. The injectables will be administered by your doctor in a hospital setting. Avoid taking an antibiotic without your doctor's recommendation, as it can make the medicine less effective for future infections. Minocycline is not recommended for use if you are allergic to it. If you have kidney, liver, or heart problems, you should consult your doctor before taking Minocycline. Inform your doctor about all the other medications you are taking, as there are chances that any of these medicines may interact with Minocycline and cause severe side effects. Also, inform your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, before using Minocycline.
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Side effects

Major & minor side effects for Minocycline

Diarrhoea

Dizziness

Loss of appetite

Headache

Skin rash

Hearing impairment

Tooth discoloration

Increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight

Indigestion

Nausea and vomiting

Muscle pain

Dry mouth

Pain at the injection site

Uses of Minocycline

What is it prescribed for?

Bacterial infections

Minocycline is used in the treatment of various infections like Rocky Mountain spotted fever (a bacterial infection caused by the bite of an infected tick), Typhus fever (a group of bacterial infections transmitted by fleas, lice, or chiggers and characterised by high fever, headache, rashes, etc.), Q fever (infection caused by inhalation or ingestion of the bacterium Coxiella burnetti), rickettsialpox (bacterial infection caused by the bite of infected mites), etc.

Meningococcal Meningitis

Meningitis is a swelling of the meninges which are protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Meningococcal meningitis is a life-threatening infection caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. Minocycline is used as a prophylactic treatment (preventive treatment) for Meningococcal Meningitis only when there is a high risk of this condition.

Skin and Structure Infection

Skin and soft tissue infections occur when the bacteria invade your skin and its supporting structures. Minocycline is used to treat skin infections caused by bacteria.

Gonococcal Infection

Urethritis is the swelling of the urethra (a small tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body), and cervicitis is the swelling of the cervix (a small passage that attaches the uterus and vagina). Minocycline is used to treat urethritis and cervicitis caused by bacteria.

Sexually transmitted diseases

Urethritis is the swelling of the urethra (a small tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body), and cervicitis is the swelling of the cervix (a small passage that attaches the uterus and vagina). Minocycline is used to treat urethritis and cervicitis caused by bacteria.

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is the most common type of lung infection that causes swelling of the air sacs in one or both lungs. It is characterised by difficulty in breathing, weakness, cough with phlegm, chest pain while breathing or coughing, etc. Minocycline is used in the treatment of pneumonia.

Urinary tract infection

An infection in any part of your urinary system- the kidneys, bladder, ureters, or urethra is called urinary tract infection(s) (UTIs). Minocycline is used to treat urinary tract infections caused by bacteria.

Acute bacterial otitis media

Acute Otitis media (AOM), is an infection of the middle ear (the area behind the eardrum), common in infants and young children. Minocycline is used to treat acute otitis media caused by bacteria.

Pharyngitis/Tonsilitis

Pharyngitis and tonsillitis are infections that cause swelling and soreness in the throat and tonsils respectively. If this infection affects both the throat and the tonsils at the same time, it is called pharyngotonsillitis. Minocycline is used to treat pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and/or pharyngotonsillitis.
Concerns

Commonly asked questions

  • Onset of action

    The time taken for Minocycline to show it's initial effect is clinically unknown.

  • Duration of effect

    The time until which Minocycline remains active in the body is clinically unknown.

  • Safe with alcohol?

    Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.

  • Is it habit forming?

    No habit-forming tendency has been reported for Minocycline.

  • Usage in pregnancy?

    Minocycline is unsafe for use during pregnancy as it can cause harm to the developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.

  • Usage while breast-feeding?

    Use of Minocycline should be avoided while breastfeeding as it may cause side effects in your baby. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

Allergy

Avoid taking Minocycline if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms of allergic reactions such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulties, etc.

Warnings for special population

Pregnancy

Minocycline is unsafe for use during pregnancy as it can cause harm to the developing foetus. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.

Breast-feeding

Use of Minocycline should be avoided while breastfeeding as it may cause side effects in your baby. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

General warnings

Photosensitivity

Photosensitivity, also known as a sun allergy, is an immune system reaction that occurs when exposed to sunlight. Minocycline should be used with caution as it may cause photosensitivity. Hence, avoid exposure to sunlight or other artificial light during treatment with this medicine. Discontinue the treatment and consult your doctor if any symptoms of skin rash appear.

Impaired liver/kidney function

Minocycline should be used with caution if you have a kidney/liver problem due to the increased risk of liver or kidney toxicity. Your doctor may recommend tests to monitor your liver/kidney function and recommend dose adjustment, if necessary, based on your clinical condition.

Use in children

Oral form: Minocycline is not recommended for use in children less than 12 years of age due to the lack of safety and efficacy data. Injectables: Minocycline is not recommended for use in children less than 8 years of age as this can lead to the risk of permanent teeth discolouration.

Antibiotic resistance

Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat the antibiotic intended to kill them. This occurs due to the long-term use of antibiotics or not completing the course of treatment. Hence ensure that you take Minocycline for the recommended duration to avoid antibiotic resistance.

Missed Dose

Oral forms: Try not to skip a scheduled dose of Minocycline. In case you forget to take the scheduled dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it has been delayed for more than 12 hours, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time. Do not double the dose. Injectables: It is always important to take your Minocycline injection at the scheduled time. If you missed taking the dose, inform your doctor, and get an appointment for further instructions.

Overdose

Oral forms: Never take more than the prescribed dose. Seek emergency medical treatment or contact your doctor in case you suspect an overdose of Minocycline. Injectable form: Minocycline injection is administered in a hospital setting by your doctor, so the likelihood of an overdose is rare. Contact your doctor if an overdose with Minocycline is suspected.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.

Interaction with Alcohol

Description

Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.

Instructions

Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.

Interaction with Medicine

Warfarin

Ethinyl Estradiol

Digoxin

Calcium gluconate

Live cholera vaccine

Disease interactions

Colitis

Minocycline can kill the helpful bacteria in your stomach or intestine and may lead to diarrhoea. Therefore, this medicine should be used with extreme caution if you have gastrointestinal (disorders of the digestive system) diseases, particularly colitis (swelling in the lining of the colon, the large intestine), as it may worsen your condition.

Food interactions

Avoid using Minocycline along with iron and calcium preparations due to the decreased absorption of Minocycline. Maintain a minimum time gap of three hours for better absorption.

Lab interactions

Information not available.
This is not an exhaustive list of possible drug interactions. You should consult your doctor about all the possible interactions of the drugs you’re taking.
Minocycline is used for treating various bacterial infections. Minocycline is available in different dosage forms. Oral forms: Take Minocycline as advised by your doctor with food. Your doctor will determine an appropriate dose for you. Never take more than the prescribed dose. Do not give your medicine to other people even if their condition appears to be the same as yours. Complete the entire course of treatment for the best results. Injectables: Minocycline is usually given in a clinical/hospital setting under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional. Follow all the instructions given by your doctor. Inform the doctor if you have an allergy to this medicine. Report all your current medicines as well as your medical conditions to your doctor before receiving this medicine.

Miscelleneous

To be taken before food

To be taken as instructed by doctor

Does not cause sleepiness

How it works

Minocycline inhibits the growth and multiplication of bacteria, eventually killing them.

Legal Status

Approved

Approved

Approved

Approved

Classification

Category

Tetracyclines, Antibiotics

Schedule

Schedule H

Medicines.org.uk. 2021. Minocycline 100 mg Film-coated Tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/8478

Drugs, H., 2021. Minocycline: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682101.html

Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. DailyMed - MINOCYCLINE- minocycline hydrochloride tablet, film coated. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=8082a9be-4b03-45ad-9501-28ee7aa573eb

Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2010/050649023lbl.pdf

Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2021. Minocycline. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Minocycline

Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/050808s014lbl.pdf

Accessdata.fda.gov. 2021. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2010/050444s047lbl.pdf

Bauschhealth.com. 2021. [online] Available at: [Accessed 15 March 2021].

https://www.bauschhealth.com/Portals/25/Pdf/PI/Minocin-PI.pdf
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Information on this page was last updated on 13 Feb 2023

Disclaimer

We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.