Polymyxin B Sulfate - Uses and Side Effects

Polymyxin B sulfate is an antibiotic medication used to treat bacterial infections, especially those affecting the skin and eyes.
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Drug
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Available by prescription
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Prepared by Shruti Sahoo, reviewed by Dr. Eugene Smith

Polymyxin B Sulfate FAQ


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What is polymyxin B used for?

Polymyxin B, sold under the brand name Poly-Rx among others, is an antibiotic used to treat meningitis, pneumonia, sepsis, and urinary tract infections. While it is useful for many Gram negative infections, it is not useful for Gram positive infections.

Is polymyxin B structurally identical?

Polymyxin B is composed of polymyxins B1, B1-I, B2, B3, and B6. Polymyxins B1 and B2 are considered major components. These related components are structurally identical with the exception of a variable fatty acid group on each fraction. Results from in vitro studies have shown marginal differences in MIC data when comparing the fractions.

What bacterium is polymyxin B derived from?

It is derived from the bacterium Paenibacillus polymyxa (formerly known as Bacillus polymyxa ). Polymyxin B has been used to treat urinary tract infections and meningitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Haemophilus influenzae, respectively. The following represents MIC susceptibility data for a few medically significant microorganisms.

What are the side effects of polymyxin B sulfate?

Polymyxin B (polymyxin b sulfate) is an antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections such as urinary tract infections, meningitis, blood infections, and eye infections. Polymyxin B is available in generic form. Common side effects of Polymyxin B include: temporary blurred vision if used as eye drops.

Why is polymyxin B sulfate not available?

Not available because this is not a discrete structure. Polymyxin B Sulfate is the sulfate salt form of polymyxin B, a mixture of the polypeptides polymyxins B1 and B2, both obtained from Bacillus polymyxa strains, with antimicrobial activity. Polymyxin B exerts its antimicrobial effect through its cationic detergent action on cell membranes.

Does polymyxin B sulfate kill bacteria?

Polymyxin B sulfate has a bactericidal action against almost all gram-negative bacilli except the Proteus group. Polymyxins increase the permeability of bacterial cell membrane leading to death of ... Acute Infections Caused by Susceptible Strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

What is polymyxin B?

Polymyxin B is a polymyxin antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of infections in the body. Polymyxin B was discovered in the 1940s 5. They are basic polypeptides of about eight amino acids and have cationic detergent action on cell membranes 4.

Polymyxin B Sulfate References

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