What Is Doxycycline?

Doxycycline seems to be a strong tetracycline antibiotic that may have first been used in the 1950s. Most of the time, this antibiotic appears to be taken orally. However, some patients may receive it through an injection. Patients who are younger than eight years old should only take this antibiotic for severe conditions. This may be because of the intense side effects that it can cause in them. Of course, it may be suitable for both children and adults.

This antibiotic appears to be a strong bacterial infection treatment. Two examples of this may be as a treatment for pneumonia or bronchitis. Certain patients seem to take it as an acne treatment. However, it may only be prescribed if they have not seen decent success with other creams and ointments for acne. Choosing among oral antibiotics for infection may be overwhelming, so patients should understand how this one should work first.

How It Should Work

This medication seems to be a broad antibiotic. Thus, doxycycline should stop bacteria from growing. It appears that it can do this by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit. This may only be found in bacteria. If the medication binds in this way, it should stop messenger and transfer RNAs from binding there. The result of this should be stopping new proteins from forming. As mentioned, this should prevent the growth of new bacteria. This medication seems to give the patient's immune system the time it needs to destroy existing bacteria.

This antibiotic appears to be at its strongest in one to two hours following a dose. Most body tissues and fluids should absorb it. Particularly high levels of this antibiotic can be found in the kidneys, liver, lungs, and gallbladder. Finally, it seems that the half-life of this doxycycline is between eighteen to twenty-two hours.

Get the details on the potential uses for this medication next.

Potential Uses

This antibiotic may have many potential uses. It seems that it is good for treating bacterial infections. Examples may include eye infections, gum disease, and urinary tract infections. Patients with respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, appear to see good benefits from this medication. This antibiotic may also help with a variety of sexually transmitted infections.

Some patients may take this medication to try controlling their acne. It seems to have shown some promise in reducing blemishes and increasing the speed at which they heal. This antibiotic may also help treat rosacea bumps. Some forms of it may be prescribed to prevent malaria in patients traveling to high-risk areas. Doxycycline may be able to help infections triggers by mites, lice, and ticks too.

Continue reading to learn about the possible side effects next.