Bacitracin

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Bacitracin
BACIIM® FDA Package Insert
Description
Clinical Pharmacology
Indications and Usage
Contraindications
Warnings and Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Dosage and Administration
How Supplied
Labels and Packages

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mohamed Moubarak, M.D. [2]

Overview

Bacitracin is a mixture of related cyclic polypeptides produced by organisms of the licheniformis group of Bacillus subtilis var Tracy. Its unique name derives from the fact that the bacillus producing it was first isolated in 1943 from a knee scrape from a girl named Margaret Tracy.[1] As a toxic and difficult-to-use antibiotic, bacitracin doesn't work well orally. However, it is very effective topically.

Bacitracin is synthesised via the so-called nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), which means that ribosomes are not involved in its synthesis.

Category

US Brand Names

BACIIM®

FDA Package Insert

Description | Clinical Pharmacology | Indications and Usage | Contraindications | Warnings and Precautions | Adverse Reactions | Dosage and Administration | How Supplied

Mechanism of Action

Bacitracin interferes with the dephosphorylation of the C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate, a molecule which carries the building blocks of the peptidoglycan bacterial cell wall outside of the inner membrane [3].

References

  1. Johnson B, Anker H, Meleney F (1945). "Bacitracin: a new antibiotic produced by a member of the B. subtilis group". Science 102 (2650): 376–377.