Side effects of tetracycline antibiotics

Tetracycline was discovered in 1940 and became extremely popular at that time Its name indicates that its chemical structure is four rings They come from soil bacteria Streptomyces aureus Tetracycline antibiotics are broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents, which can inhibit bacterial protein synthesis and effectively deal with a variety of microorganisms The antibiotic is mainly used to treat respiratory tract infection, sinusitis, otitis media, urinary tract, skin diseases and intestinal infection Tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline and oxytetracycline are the most common tetracycline antibiotics They are currently mainly used to treat moderate and severe acne and rosacea, and sometimes gonorrhea Tetracycline acts on ribosome to interfere with protein synthesis of sensitive bacteria They also have some non antibiotic properties, but they have not been well understood, including: one of the main disadvantages of tetracycline resistance is drug resistance Drug resistance mainly occurs in ribosome protection and extracellular drug efflux The cross resistance of all tetracyclines is due to these two mechanisms Side effects of antibiotics include spasm, heartburn, diarrhea, stomachache or tongue pain Tetracycline can cause skin sensitivity and increase the risk of exposure to ultraviolet rays This is particularly important for people who use doxycycline to prevent malaria Tetracycline - induced allergies are rare, and severe headaches and vision problems are rare These may be signs of increased secondary intracranial pressure These antibiotics are not suitable for children under 8 years old, especially for children during tooth development In addition, the use of these drugs by pregnant women may lead to abnormal bone development in infants There is little evidence that tetracycline reduces the effectiveness of oral contraceptives However, precautions should be taken to ensure safety, especially in the first four weeks of antibiotic use.