Gentamicin 75mg/5ml oral solution
Requires a prescription from a doctor or prescriber
Antibacterial drugs
Official documents, adverse reaction reporting, and safety monitoring
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Official medicine documents
Safety monitoring data
Yellow Card reports
The MHRA Yellow Card scheme collects reports of suspected side effects from healthcare professionals and patients. View the Drug Analysis Profile (iDAP) for real-world adverse reaction data.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Gentamicin
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Data from the MHRA Yellow Card scheme. A reported reaction does not necessarily mean the medicine caused it. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
EudraVigilance
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) collects suspected adverse reaction reports from across the EU/EEA through the EudraVigilance system. Search for safety data on this medicine.
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Suspected adverse reactions reported for Gentamicin
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EudraVigilance data is published by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). A suspected adverse reaction is not necessarily caused by the medicine.
1 branded products available
Part of the Cidomycin brand family (generic: Gentamicin)
MHRA licensed products
View all licensed products for Gentamicin on the MHRA register
Therapeutically similar medicines
Similarity based on WHO Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification and NHS BNF section grouping. Source data: NHS dm+d via TRUD (OGL v3.0), WHO ATC/DDD Index.
NHS prescribing volume and spending trends
Clinical guidelines and formulary information
British National Formulary
Gentamicin
Source: British National Formulary, NICE. Joint Formulary Committee. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
NICE clinical guidance(13)
Neonatal infection: antibiotics for prevention and treatment (NG195)
Pyelonephritis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG111)
Leg ulcer infection: antimicrobial prescribing (NG152)
Urinary tract infection (catheter-associated): antimicrobial prescribing (NG113)
Prostatitis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG110)
Diabetic foot problems: prevention and management (NG19)
Surgical site infections: prevention and treatment (NG125)
Diverticular disease: diagnosis and management (NG147)
Impetigo: antimicrobial prescribing (NG153)
Micropressure therapy for refractory Ménière's disease (HTG285)
Secondary bacterial infection of eczema and other common skin conditions: antimicrobial prescribing (NG190)
Genedrive MT-RNR1 ID Kit for detecting a genetic variant to guide antibiotic use and prevent hearing loss in babies: early value assessment (HTG665)
Suspected sepsis in under 16s: recognition, diagnosis and early management (NG254)
Source: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Check stock at pharmacies and supply information
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Search for this medicine at major UK pharmacy chains. These links open the retailer's own website — results depend on their current online catalogue.
Supply & product information
Official product databases and supply status monitoring
Pharmacy links redirect to the retailer's own search and do not represent real-time stock levels. emc (electronic medicines compendium) is operated by Datapharm Ltd. Shortage information sourced from NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS), sps.nhs.uk.
Codes for healthcare professionals and prescribing systems
These codes are used by healthcare IT systems and prescribers to identify this medicine.
NHS UK identifiers
Browse tools
SNOMED CT and dm+d codes from NHS TRUD (Technology Reference data Update Distribution), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. BNF codes from NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). ATC codes from the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics Methodology (whocc.no).
Active and completed clinical studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health (NIH). Data accessed via ClinicalTrials.gov API v2. Trial information is provided for research purposes and does not constitute medical advice.
Pharmacology and chemical data from DrugBank
Key facts
Drug status
Approved
Major interactions
23 found
Half-life
75 minutes
Mechanism
There are 3 key phases of aminoglycoside entry into cells.
Food interactions
None known
Human targets
None mapped
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Half-life
75 minutes
[A234200]…
Protein binding
0-30%
[L9689]
Metabolism
[L33254]
Elimination
70%
Clearance
[A234210][L33254]
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Although gentamicin is well-established and may be used in a variety of clinical applications, it is also associated with severe adverse effects including nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity which may limit its use.[A234369]
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 922 interactions
[A232294]
Signs of nephrotoxicity include an increase in plasma creatinine and urea, while signs of ototoxicity include issues with balance, nausea, tinnitus, and hearing loss.
[A234339]
It is important to note that aminoglycoside-induced nephrotoxicity is typically reversible, while ototoxicity is more likely to be permanent.
[A232294]
The risk of both toxicities increases with long-term gentamicin therapy.
[A234130]
Gentamicin is considered to be more vestibulotoxic than cochleotoxic compared to other aminoglycosides.
[A232294][A234334]
Unfortunately, gentamicin-related ototoxicity does not correlate with cumulative dosing, peak and trough levels, or dosing schedule.
[A234339]
The unpredictability of ototoxicity supports close monitoring of the patient throughout treatment.
[A234339]
In cases of toxicity or overdose, the medication should be discontinued immediately; hemodialysis may be initiated to lower gentamicin serum concentrations.
[L33254]
The second “energy-dependent phase I” of aminoglycoside entry into the cytoplasm relies on the proton-motive force and allows a limited amount of aminoglycoside access to its primary intracellular target - the bacterial 30S ribosome.[A232294][A232314] This ultimately results in the mistranslation of proteins and disruption of the cytoplasmic membrane.[A233320] Finally, in the “energy-dependent phase II” stage, concentration-dependent bacterial killing is observed. Aminoglycoside rapidly accumulates in the cell due to the damaged cytoplasmic membrane, and protein mistranslation and synthesis inhibition is amplified.[A232294][A232314][A232319] The necessity of oxygen-dependent active transport explains why aminoglycosides are ineffective against anaerobic bacteria.[A234130]
Hence, aminoglycosides have both immediate bactericidal effects through membrane disruption and delayed bactericidal effects through impaired protein synthesis; observed experimental data and mathematical modeling support this two-mechanism model.[A232294][A232299]
Inhibition of protein synthesis is a key component of aminoglycoside efficacy. Structural and cell biological studies suggest that aminoglycosides bind to the 16S rRNA in helix 44 (h44), near the A site of the 30S ribosomal subunit, altering interactions between h44 and h45. This binding also displaces two important residues, A1492 and A1493, from h44, mimicking normal conformational changes that occur with successful codon-anticodon pairing in the A site.[A232324][A232329] Overall, aminoglycoside binding has several negative effects including inhibition of translation, initiation, elongation, and ribosome recycling.[A232294][A232334][A232339] Recent evidence suggests that the latter effect is due to a cryptic second binding site situated in h69 of the 23S rRNA of the 50S ribosomal subunit.[A232329][A232339] Also, by stabilizing a conformation that mimics correct codon-anticodon pairing, aminoglycosides promote error-prone translation.[A232344] Mistranslated proteins can incorporate into the cell membrane, inducing the damage discussed above.[A232294][A232319]
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
[A234200]
The mean half-life associated with intramuscular administration was about 29 minutes longer.
[A234200]
Fever and anemia may result in a shorter half-life although dose adjustments are not usually necessary.
[A234200][L33254]
Severe burns are also associated with a shorter half-life and may result in lower gentamicin serum concentrations.
[L33254]
[L9689]
[L33254]
[L33254]
[A234210][L33254]
Proteins that transport this drug across cell membranes
PMID:9260930 PMID:9687576
Functions as a Na(+)-independent, bidirectional uniporter .
PMID:21128598 PMID:9687576
Cation cellular uptake or release is driven by the electrochemical potential, i.e. membrane potential and concentration gradient .
PMID:15212162 PMID:9260930 PMID:9687576
However, may also engage electroneutral cation exchange when saturating concentrations of cation substrates are reached (By similarity). Predominantly expressed at the basolateral membrane of hepatocytes and proximal tubules and involved in the uptake and disposition of cationic compounds by hepatic and renal clearance from the blood flow .
PMID:15783073
Implicated in monoamine neurotransmitters uptake such as histamine, dopamine, adrenaline/epinephrine, noradrenaline/norepinephrine, serotonin and tyramine, thereby supporting a physiological role in the central nervous system by regulating interstitial concentrations of neurotransmitters .
PMID:16581093 PMID:17460754 PMID:9687576
Also capable of transporting dopaminergic neuromodulators cyclo(his-pro), salsolinol and N-methyl-salsolinol, thereby involved in the maintenance of dopaminergic cell integrity in the central nervous system .
PMID:17460754
Mediates the bidirectional transport of acetylcholine (ACh) at the apical membrane of ciliated cell in airway epithelium, thereby playing a role in luminal release of ACh from bronchial epithelium .
PMID:15817714
Also transports guanidine and endogenous monoamines such as vitamin B1/thiamine, creatinine and N-1-methylnicotinamide (NMN) .
PMID:12089365 PMID:15212162 PMID:17072098 PMID:24961373 PMID:9260930
Mediates the uptake and efflux of quaternary ammonium compound choline .
PMID:9260930
Mediates the bidirectional transport of polyamine agmatine and the uptake of polyamines putrescine and spermidine .
PMID:12538837 PMID:21128598
Able to transport non-amine endogenous compounds such as prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF2-alpha) .
PMID:11907186
Also involved in the uptake of xenobiotic 4-(4-(dimethylamino)styryl)-N-methylpyridinium (ASP) .
PMID:12395288 PMID:16394027
May contribute to regulate the transport of organic compounds in testis across the blood-testis-barrier (Probable)
In the kidney, mediates the tubular uptake and clearance of leptin (By similarity). Also mediates transport of leptin across the blood-brain barrier through endocytosis at the choroid plexus epithelium (By similarity). Endocytosis of leptin in neuronal cells is required for hypothalamic leptin signaling and leptin-mediated regulation of feeding and body weight (By similarity).
Mediates endocytosis and subsequent lysosomal degradation of CST3 in kidney proximal tubule cells (By similarity). Mediates renal uptake of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in complex with the vitamin D3 transporter GC/DBP (By similarity). Mediates renal uptake of metallothionein-bound heavy metals .
PMID:15126248
Together with CUBN, mediates renal reabsorption of myoglobin (By similarity).
Mediates renal uptake and subsequent lysosomal degradation of APOM (By similarity). Plays a role in kidney selenium homeostasis by mediating renal endocytosis of selenoprotein SEPP1 (By similarity). Mediates renal uptake of the antiapoptotic protein BIRC5/survivin which may be important for functional integrity of the kidney .
PMID:23825075
Mediates renal uptake of matrix metalloproteinase MMP2 in complex with metalloproteinase inhibitor TIMP1 (By similarity).
Mediates endocytosis of Sonic hedgehog protein N-product (ShhN), the active product of SHH (By similarity). Also mediates ShhN transcytosis (By similarity). In the embryonic neuroepithelium, mediates endocytic uptake and degradation of BMP4, is required for correct SHH localization in the ventral neural tube and plays a role in patterning of the ventral telencephalon (By similarity).
Required at the onset of neurulation to sequester SHH on the apical surface of neuroepithelial cells of the rostral diencephalon ventral midline and to control PTCH1-dependent uptake and intracellular trafficking of SHH (By similarity). During neurulation, required in neuroepithelial cells for uptake of folate bound to the folate receptor FOLR1 which is necessary for neural tube closure (By similarity). In the adult brain, negatively regulates BMP signaling in the subependymal zone which enables neurogenesis to proceed (By similarity).
In astrocytes, mediates endocytosis of ALB which is required for the synthesis of the neurotrophic factor oleic acid (By similarity). Involved in neurite branching (By similarity). During optic nerve development, required for SHH-mediated migration and proliferation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (By similarity).
Mediates endocytic uptake and clearance of SHH in the retinal margin which protects retinal progenitor cells from mitogenic stimuli and keeps them quiescent (By similarity). Plays a role in reproductive organ development by mediating uptake in reproductive tissues of androgen and estrogen bound to the sex hormone binding protein SHBG (By similarity). Mediates endocytosis of angiotensin-2 (By similarity).
Also mediates endocytosis of angiotensis 1-7 (By similarity). Binds to the complex composed of beta-amyloid protein 40 and CLU/APOJ and mediates its endocytosis and lysosomal degradation (By similarity). Required for embryonic heart development (By similarity).
Required for normal hearing, possibly through interaction with estrogen in the inner ear (By similarity)
PMID:10220572 PMID:10421658 PMID:11500505 PMID:16332456
Mediates hepatobiliary excretion of mono- and bis-glucuronidated bilirubin molecules and therefore play an important role in bilirubin detoxification .
PMID:10421658
Also mediates hepatobiliary excretion of others glucuronide conjugates such as 17beta-estradiol 17-glucosiduronic acid and leukotriene C4 .
PMID:11500505
Transports sulfated bile salt such as taurolithocholate sulfate .
PMID:16332456
Transports various anticancer drugs, such as anthracycline, vinca alkaloid and methotrexate and HIV-drugs such as protease inhibitors .
PMID:10220572 PMID:11500505 PMID:12441801
Confers resistance to several anti-cancer drugs including cisplatin, doxorubicin, epirubicin, methotrexate, etoposide and vincristine PMID:10220572 PMID:11500505
ATC S01AA11
ATC S02AA14
ATC D06AX07
ATC S03AA06
ATC J01GB03
Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
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Chemical identifiers
CAS, UNII, InChI Key and database cross-references
Linked compound data from DrugBank Open Data (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Gentamicin
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
8632
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
8630
ChemSpider
8074297
BindingDB
50476074
Guide to Pharmacology
2427
GenBank Gene Database
V00355
GenBank Protein Database
43010
UniProt Accession
RS12_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
M15811
GenBank Protein Database
143279
UniProt Accession
NADE_BACSU
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10966
GeneCards
SLC22A2
GenBank Gene Database
X98333
GenBank Protein Database
2281942
Guide to Pharmacology
1020
UniProt Accession
S22A2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:6694
GenAtlas
LRP2
GeneCards
LRP2
GenBank Gene Database
U33837
GenBank Protein Database
1809240
UniProt Accession
LRP2_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:53
GenAtlas
ABCC2
GeneCards
ABCC2
GenBank Gene Database
U63970
GenBank Protein Database
1764162
Guide to Pharmacology
780
UniProt Accession
MRP2_HUMAN
International reference pricing
Reference pricing from DrugBank. Prices are indicative and may not reflect current UK costs.
Source: DrugBank. Used under CC BY-NC 4.0 academic licence for non-commercial purposes.
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications: