- The broad-spectrum antibiotic tetracycline belongs to the tetracycline class, with a molecular formula of C22H24N2O8 and a molecular mass of 444.435 g/mol.
- The primary mechanism of action involves binding reversibly to the 30S ribosomal subunit, preventing the attachment of aminoacyl-tRNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex, thus inhibiting protein synthesis. This mechanism makes tetracycline bacteriostatic against a wide range of microorganisms.
- The compound demonstrates significant chemical properties, including its amphoteric nature, forming salts with both acids and bases, and its high chelating ability with divalent and trivalent metal ions.
- It is notably photosensitive and tends to degrade under light exposure, while also showing limited stability in acidic and alkaline conditions.
- This antibiotic exhibits broad antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as certain atypical organisms like Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and Rickettsia.
- Its clinical applications include treatment of respiratory infections, acne, urinary tract infections, and sexually transmitted diseases.
- The absorption is significantly reduced by food and dairy products, necessitating careful timing of administration relative to meals.
- Pharmacokinetically, tetracycline shows variable oral absorption (60-80%), achieves wide tissue distribution, undergoes primarily renal excretion, and has a half-life of approximately 8-11 hours.
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