Details

Teicoplanin is an antibiotic used in the prophylaxis and treatment of serious infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. It is a glycopeptide antibiotic extracted from Actinoplanes teichomyceticus, with a similar spectrum of activity to vancomycin. Its mechanism of action is to inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis.

Typical Uses

Teicoplanin is used to treat infections of skin and soft tissues, bones and joints, lung (pneumonia), urinary tract, heart and abdomen.

Side Effects

Common teicoplanin side effects may include swelling of tissue under the skin, fainting, ringing in the ears, abnormal increase in a type of white blood cell called eosinophil, hearing loss, itchiness and flushing of skin, vestibular disorder, red man syndrome, fall in blood pressure, breathlessness, deafness, dizziness, coughing, nausea, noisy respiration, inflammation of a vein caused by a blood clot, pain, abdominal cramps, abnormally low number of cells that are required for blood to clot, loose motions, headache, urge to vomit, constriction of the air passages, redness of skin, itching of skin, vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, widespread, sneezing, increase in the liver enzymes in the blood, potentially severe and life-threatening allergic reaction consisting of one or more of the following: rapid heart rate.

Drug Interactions

Presently, there are no drug interactions for teicoplanin.

Mechanism of action

Teicoplanin inhibits peptidoglycan polymerization, resulting in inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis and cell death.

Pregnancy Category : C