Cipro

There are a number of drugs tht are refered to as wonder drugs today. This is due to the increasing awareness towards the curative powers of certain chemical combinations. Ciprofloxacin is one such generic drug. It is the international makret name for a synthetic antibiotic that is manufactured and marketed by Bayer. The other brand names for the drug include Cipro and Ciproxin. Ciprobay is also a marketed version of the same drug belonging to a clinical group - fluoroquinolone. Cipro is a bactericidal and it funtions within the blocking of bacterial DNA replication. The action is achieved by the binding of the drug with the DNA gyrase enzyme. This causes double-stranded breaks in the bacterial choromosome.

Cipro is active against gram positive and gram negative bacteria. It inhibits the DNA gyrase type II topoisomerase, the enzyme necessary for inhibiting cell division. The adverse effects of the drug are seen in the form of gastro-intestinal discomfort. It is a last minute resort on account of its general safety and potency. Just as the case with any other antibiotic, even with Cipro, increased duration of drug administration leads to an increase in ciprofloxacin-resistant infection. The rise of resistant bacteria is observed in the use of less potent versions of the drug. It has also been observed that the addition of cipro to the feed of farm animals leads to more rapid weight gain and the reasons for this development are not yet clinically defined.

The use of the drug for chlamydia and mycoplasma infections is being contraindicated. This is due to the observation that cipro is ineffective against these organisms and merely stops their growth, rather than kill them. The drug Cipro is available in pharmacies all over the world for oral and parenteral use, It is also adminsitered topically and is used in the treatment of lower respiratory and urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases and mycobacterioses. The prescribed dosage in the case of respiratory infection is 500-1500 mg a day, in 2 doses.

The drug intake is strictly contraindicated in the case of children, pregnant women and epileptic patients. The alterations to the dosage or avoidance may be necessary in the case of liver or renal failure. Cipro is also known to produce photo-sensitive reactions and elevate plasma theophylline levels to toxic values. It is also on record that the drug causes constipation and a sensitivity to the intake of caffeine. Other developments noticed with the administration of this drug include swelling of joints and cartilages and tendon rupture accompanied by chronic pain.



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