Minocycline

Type of Medication: Antibiotic

Indications: Respiratory infection due to Burkholderia cepacia and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus infection

Side Effects: photosensitivity, rash, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dysphagia,dizziness, headache, pericarditis (rare), exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme, Steven-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, photosensitivity skin reactions, photo-onycholysis, skin hyperpigmentation, oesophagitis and oesophageal ulcerations,   haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopaenia, neutropaenia, eosinophilia, hepatitis, jaundice hepatic failure and pancreatitis, anaphylaxis, lupus-like syndrome , Pseudomembranous colitis,benign intracranial hypertension, renal dysfunction,  pulmonary infiltration, pulmonary eosinophilia.

Route of administration: Adult (Oral)

Dose: 100 mg twice daily (oral)

Administration: Swallow whole with plenty of fluid while sitting or standing

Route of administration: Paediatric (Oral)

Dose:  (12–17 years)100 mg twice daily 

Examples of some Drug Interactions

Interacting drug: aluminium: reduced absorption of minocycline (take minocycline at least 2–3 hours before or after aluminium-containing preparations)

Interacting drug: anticoagulants: prolonged prothrombin time in patients taking warfarin (monitor INR and reduce warfarin dose)

Interacting drug: calcium: reduced absorption of minocycline (take minocycline at least 2–3 hours before or after calcium-containing preparations)

Interacting drug: contraceptives: reduced effect of oral contraceptives

Interacting drug: iron: reduced absorption of minocycline (take minocycline at least 2–3 hours before or iron-containing preparations)

Interacting drug: lithium: case reports of increased serum lithium levels (monitor levels)

Interacting drug: magnesium: reduced absorption of minocycline (take minocycline at least 2–3 hours before or after magnesium-containing preparations)

Interacting drug: retinoids: (eg, acitretin, isotretinoin): risk of pseudotumour cerebri (benign intracranial hypertension)

Interacting drug: zinc: reduced absorption of minocycline (take minocycline at least 2–3 hours before or after zinc-containing preparations).