Tetracycline 2.2mg/ml topical solution
Tetracycline is a broad spectrum polyketide antibiotic produced by the Streptomyces genus of Actinobacteria.
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 Tetracycline
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Submit a Yellow Card report to the MHRA
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 Tetracycline
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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
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
Tetracycline
Source: British National Formulary, NICE. Joint Formulary Committee. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
NICE clinical guidance(14)
Impetigo: antimicrobial prescribing (NG153)
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and dyspepsia in adults: investigation and management (CG184)
Acne vulgaris: management (NG198)
Inflammatory lesions of papulopustular rosacea: ivermectin 10 mg/g cream (ESNM68)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (acute exacerbation): antimicrobial prescribing (NG114)
Antimicrobial prescribing: eravacycline for complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults (ES40)
Sinusitis (acute): antimicrobial prescribing (NG79)
Leg ulcer infection: antimicrobial prescribing (NG152)
Bronchiectasis (non-cystic fibrosis), acute exacerbation: antimicrobial prescribing (NG117)
LipiFlow thermal pulsation treatment for dry eyes caused by blocked meibomian glands (MIB29)
Cellulitis and erysipelas: antimicrobial prescribing (NG141)
Secukinumab for treating moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (TA935)
Clostridium difficile infection: risk with broad-spectrum antibiotics (ESMPB1)
Adalimumab for treating moderate to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (TA392)
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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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
None known
Half-life
6-12 hours
Mechanism
Tetracycline passively diffuses through porin channels in the bacterial membrane…
Food interactions
3 warnings
Human targets
1 target
Data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
Pharmacokinetics at a glance
Absorption
40%
Half-life
6-12 hours
Protein binding
20 - 67%
Metabolism
Elimination
Pharmacokinetic data: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0
The FDA withdrew its approval for the use of all liquid oral drug products formulated for pediatric use containing tetracycline in a concentration greater than 25 mg/ml.[L43942] Other formulations of tetracycline continue to be used.
Tetracycline may be an alternative drug for people who are allergic to penicillin.
Known interactions with other medications. Always consult a healthcare professional.
Showing 50 of 1276 interactions
How the body processes this drug — absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination
Proteins and enzymes this drug interacts with in the body
May promote myelin homeostasis through acting as an agonist for ADGRG6 receptor. May play a role in iron uptake and iron homeostasis. Soluble oligomers are toxic to cultured neuroblastoma cells and induce apoptosis (in vitro) (By similarity).
Association with GPC1 (via its heparan sulfate chains) targets PRNP to lipid rafts. Also provides Cu(2+) or Zn(2+) for the ascorbate-mediated GPC1 deaminase degradation of its heparan sulfate side chains (By similarity)
Enzymes involved in drug metabolism — important for understanding drug interactions
Proteins that transport this drug across cell membranes
PMID:11669456 PMID:11907186 PMID:14675047 PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370 PMID:28534121 PMID:9950961
Mediates the uptake of OA across the basolateral side of proximal tubule epithelial cells, thereby contributing to the renal elimination of endogenous OA from the systemic circulation into the urine .
PMID:9887087
Functions as a biopterin transporters involved in the uptake and the secretion of coenzymes tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), dihydrobiopterin (BH2) and sepiapterin to urine, thereby determining baseline levels of blood biopterins .
PMID:28534121
Transports prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF2-alpha) and may contribute to their renal excretion .
PMID:11907186
Also mediates the uptake of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP and cGMP .
PMID:26377792
Involved in the transport of neuroactive tryptophan metabolites kynurenate (KYNA) and xanthurenate (XA) and may contribute to their secretion from the brain .
PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
May transport glutamate .
PMID:26377792
Also involved in the disposition of uremic toxins and potentially toxic xenobiotics by the renal organic anion secretory pathway, helping reduce their undesired toxicological effects on the body .
PMID:11669456 PMID:14675047
Uremic toxins include the indoxyl sulfate (IS), hippurate/N-benzoylglycine (HA), indole acetate (IA), 3-carboxy-4- methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionate (CMPF) and urate .
PMID:14675047 PMID:26377792
Xenobiotics include the mycotoxin ochratoxin (OTA) .
PMID:11669456
May also contribute to the transport of organic compounds in testes across the blood-testis-barrier PMID:35307651
PMID:14586168 PMID:15644426 PMID:15846473 PMID:16455804 PMID:31553721
Transports organic anions such as estrone 3-sulfate (E1S) and urate in exchange for dicarboxylates such as glutarate or ketoglutarate (2-oxoglutarate) .
PMID:14586168 PMID:15846473 PMID:15864504 PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
Plays an important role in the excretion of endogenous and exogenous organic anions, especially from the kidney and the brain .
PMID:11306713 PMID:14586168 PMID:15846473
E1S transport is pH- and chloride-dependent and may also involve E1S/cGMP exchange .
PMID:26377792
Responsible for the transport of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2(alpha) (PGF2(alpha)) in the basolateral side of the renal tubule .
PMID:11907186
Involved in the transport of neuroactive tryptophan metabolites kynurenate and xanthurenate .
PMID:22108572 PMID:23832370
Functions as a biopterin transporters involved in the uptake and the secretion of coenzymes tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), dihydrobiopterin (BH2) and sepiapterin to urine, thereby determining baseline levels of blood biopterins .
PMID:28534121
May be involved in the basolateral transport of steviol, a metabolite of the popular sugar substitute stevioside .
PMID:15644426
May participate in the detoxification/ renal excretion of drugs and xenobiotics, such as the histamine H(2)-receptor antagonists fexofenadine and cimetidine, the antibiotic benzylpenicillin (PCG), the anionic herbicide 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetate (2,4-D), the diagnostic agent p-aminohippurate (PAH), the antiviral acyclovir (ACV), and the mycotoxin ochratoxin (OTA), by transporting these exogenous organic anions across the cell membrane in exchange for dicarboxylates such as 2-oxoglutarate .
PMID:11669456 PMID:15846473 PMID:16455804
Contributes to the renal uptake of potent uremic toxins (indoxyl sulfate (IS), indole acetate (IA), hippurate/N-benzoylglycine (HA) and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionate (CMPF)), pravastatin, PCG, E1S and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and is partly involved in the renal uptake of temocaprilat (an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor) .
PMID:14675047
May contribute to the release of cortisol in the adrenals .
PMID:15864504
Involved in one of the detoxification systems on the choroid plexus (CP), removes substrates such as E1S or taurocholate (TC), PCG, 2,4-D and PAH, from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to the blood for eventual excretion in urine and bile (By similarity). Also contributes to the uptake of several other organic compounds such as the prostanoids prostaglandin E(2) and prostaglandin F(2-alpha), L-carnitine, and the therapeutic drugs allopurinol, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (By similarity). Mediates the transport of PAH, PCG, and the statins pravastatin and pitavastatin, from the cerebrum into the blood circulation across the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
In summary, plays a role in the efflux of drugs and xenobiotics, helping reduce their undesired toxicological effects on the body (By similarity)
PMID:10660625 PMID:11907186 PMID:15037815 PMID:15102942 PMID:15291761 PMID:15576633 PMID:17229912 PMID:18501590 PMID:26277985 PMID:28027879
May be responsible for placental absorption of fetal-derived steroid sulfates such as estrone sulfate (E1S) and the steroid hormone precursor dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), as well as clearing waste products and xenobiotics from the fetus .
PMID:12409283
Maybe also be involved in placental urate homeostasis .
PMID:17229912
Facilitates the renal reabsorption of organic anions such as urate and derived steroid sulfates .
PMID:15037815 PMID:17229912
Organic anion glutarate acts as conteranion for E1S renal uptake .
PMID:15037815 PMID:17229912
Possible transport mode may also include DHEA-S/E1S exchange .
PMID:28027879
Also interacts with inorganic anions such as chloride and hydroxyl ions, therefore possible transport modes may include E1S/Cl(-), E1S/OH(-), urate/Cl(-) and urate/OH(-) .
PMID:17229912
Also mediates the transport of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and prostaglandin F2-alpha (PGF2-alpha) and may be involved in their renal excretion .
PMID:11907186
Also able to uptake anionic drugs, diuretics, bile salts and ochratoxin A .
PMID:10660625 PMID:26277985
Mediates the unidirectional efflux of glutamate and aspartate .
PMID:28027879
Glutamate efflux down its transmembrane gradient may drive SLC22A11/OAT4-mediated placental uptake of E1S PMID:26277985
PMID:11327718 PMID:18216183 PMID:21446918 PMID:28945155
Contributes to the renal and hepatic elimination of endogenous organic compounds from the systemic circulation into the urine and bile, respectively .
PMID:11327718 PMID:25904762
Capable of transporting a wide range of purine and pyrimidine nucleobases, nucleosides and nucleotides, with cGMP, 2'deoxyguanosine and GMP being the preferred substrates .
PMID:11327718 PMID:18216183 PMID:26377792 PMID:28945155
Functions as a pH- and chloride-independent cGMP bidirectional facilitative transporter that can regulate both intracellular and extracellular levels of cGMP and may be involved in cGMP signaling pathways .
PMID:18216183 PMID:26377792
Mediates orotate/glutamate bidirectional exchange and most likely display a physiological role in hepatic release of glutamate into the blood .
PMID:21446918
Involved in renal secretion and possible reabsorption of creatinine .
PMID:25904762 PMID:28945155
Able to uptake prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and may contribute to PGE2 renal excretion (Probable). Also transports alpha-ketoglutarate and urate .
PMID:11327718 PMID:26377792
Apart from the orotate/glutamate exchange, the counterions for the uptake of other SLC22A7/OAT2 substrates remain to be identified PMID:26377792
PMID:10873595 PMID:11159893 PMID:11932330 PMID:12724351 PMID:14610227 PMID:16908597 PMID:18501590 PMID:20507927 PMID:22201122 PMID:23531488 PMID:25132355 PMID:26383540 PMID:27576593 PMID:28408210 PMID:29871943 PMID:34628357
Responsible for the transport of estrone 3-sulfate (E1S) through the basal membrane of syncytiotrophoblast, highlighting a potential role in the placental absorption of fetal-derived sulfated steroids including the steroid hormone precursor dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) .
PMID:11932330 PMID:12409283
Also facilitates the uptake of sulfated steroids at the basal/sinusoidal membrane of hepatocytes, therefore accounting for the major part of organic anions clearance of liver .
PMID:11159893
Mediates the intestinal uptake of sulfated steroids .
PMID:12724351 PMID:28408210
Mediates the uptake of the neurosteroids DHEA-S and pregnenolone sulfate (PregS) into the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier as the first step to enter the brain .
PMID:16908597 PMID:25132355
Also plays a role in the reuptake of neuropeptides such as substance P/TAC1 and vasoactive intestinal peptide/VIP released from retinal neurons .
PMID:25132355
May act as a heme transporter that promotes cellular iron availability via heme oxygenase/HMOX2 and independently of TFRC .
PMID:35714613
Also transports heme by-product coproporphyrin III (CPIII), and may be involved in their hepatic disposition .
PMID:26383540
Mediates the uptake of other substrates such as prostaglandins D2 (PGD2), E1 (PGE1) and E2 (PGE2), taurocholate, L-thyroxine, leukotriene C4 and thromboxane B2 (PubMed:10873595, PubMed:14610227, PubMed:19129463, PubMed:29871943, Ref.25). May contribute to regulate the transport of organic compounds in testis across the blood-testis-barrier (Probable). Shows a pH-sensitive substrate specificity which may be ascribed to the protonation state of the binding site and leads to a stimulation of substrate transport in an acidic microenvironment .
PMID:14610227 PMID:19129463 PMID:22201122
The exact transport mechanism has not been yet deciphered but most likely involves an anion exchange, coupling the cellular uptake of organic substrate with the efflux of an anionic compound .
PMID:19129463 PMID:20507927 PMID:26277985
Hydrogencarbonate/HCO3(-) acts as a probable counteranion that exchanges for organic anions .
PMID:19129463
Cytoplasmic glutamate may also act as counteranion in the placenta .
PMID:26277985
An inwardly directed proton gradient has also been proposed as the driving force of E1S uptake with a (H(+):E1S) stoichiometry of (1:1) PMID:20507927
Proteins that carry this drug through the body
PMID:19021548
Major calcium and magnesium transporter in plasma, binds approximately 45% of circulating calcium and magnesium in plasma (By similarity).
Potentially has more than two calcium-binding sites and might additionally bind calcium in a non-specific manner (By similarity). The shared binding site between zinc and calcium at residue Asp-273 suggests a crosstalk between zinc and calcium transport in the blood (By similarity). The rank order of affinity is zinc > calcium > magnesium (By similarity).
Binds to the bacterial siderophore enterobactin and inhibits enterobactin-mediated iron uptake of E.coli from ferric transferrin, and may thereby limit the utilization of iron and growth of enteric bacteria such as E.coli .
PMID:6234017
Does not prevent iron uptake by the bacterial siderophore aerobactin PMID:6234017
ATC J01RA19
ATC S02AA08
ATC A01AB13
ATC A02BD02
ATC J01AA07
ATC S01AA09
ATC J01AA20
ATC J01RA08
ATC S03AA02
ATC D06AA04
ATC A02BD08
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)
Tetracycline
Additional database identifiers
Drugs Product Database (DPD)
8683
ChemSpider
10257122
BindingDB
50237605
PDB
TAC
ZINC
ZINC000084441937
UniProt Accession
RS7_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
X01563
GenBank Protein Database
809690
UniProt Accession
RS14_ECOLI
UniProt Accession
RS3_ECOLI
UniProt Accession
RS8_ECOLI
GenBank Gene Database
X02613
GenBank Protein Database
42826
UniProt Accession
RS19_ECOLI
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:9449
GenAtlas
PRNP
GeneCards
PRNP
GenBank Gene Database
M13899
GenBank Protein Database
190468
UniProt Accession
PRIO_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:2637
GenAtlas
CYP3A4
GeneCards
CYP3A4
GenBank Gene Database
M18907
Guide to Pharmacology
1337
UniProt Accession
CP3A4_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:399
GenAtlas
ALB
GeneCards
ALB
GenBank Gene Database
V00494
GenBank Protein Database
28590
UniProt Accession
ALBU_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10970
GenAtlas
hROAT1
GeneCards
SLC22A6
GenBank Gene Database
AF057039
GenBank Protein Database
3831566
Guide to Pharmacology
1025
UniProt Accession
S22A6_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10972
GeneCards
SLC22A8
GenBank Gene Database
AF097491
GenBank Protein Database
4378059
Guide to Pharmacology
1027
UniProt Accession
S22A8_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:18120
GenAtlas
SLC22A11
GeneCards
SLC22A11
GenBank Gene Database
AB026116
GenBank Protein Database
7707622
Guide to Pharmacology
1030
UniProt Accession
S22AB_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10971
GeneCards
SLC22A7
GenBank Gene Database
AF097518
GenBank Protein Database
5001689
UniProt Accession
S22A7_HUMAN
HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC)
HGNC:10962
GenAtlas
SLCO2B1
GeneCards
SLCO2B1
GenBank Gene Database
AB026256
GenBank Protein Database
5006263
Guide to Pharmacology
1224
UniProt Accession
SO2B1_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.
Patent information
All patents expired, 1 expired
Source: DrugBank · CC BY-NC 4.0. Patent data sourced from national patent offices. Expiry dates may not reflect extensions, regulatory exclusivity periods, or legal challenges.
DrugBank citations
If you use DrugBank data in your research, please cite the following publications: