Introduction – Neomycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic medicine with a bactericidal activity against gram-negative aerobic bacilli and is normally not effective against gram-positive bacilli. This medicine is available in oral and topical formulations such as eye drops, creams, ointments, and many more. It belongs to the aminoglycoside group of antibiotics, which contains two or more amino sugars connected by glycosidic bonds.
In the year 1949, Microbiologist Selman Waksman discovered this medicine with his student Hubert Lechevalier at Rutgers University. Neomycin was approved in the year 1952 for medical use.
Uses – This medicine is used in lowering the risk of infection after certain intestinal surgeries and belongs to the group of aminoglycoside antibiotics. The main work of this medicine is to prevent the growth of bacteria in the intestines. This medicine can also be used in treating certain brain problems known as hepatic encephalopathy with a special diet and is caused by a large amount of ammonia. Generally, the livers get free of ammonia but any liver problem may cause a large amount of ammonia to produce in the body. Neomycin helps in the treatment of encephalopathy by killing or preventing the growth of bacteria, which make ammonia. It is important to note that this medicine is only used to treat bacterial infection and will not use in viral infections including common cold and flu.
How to take – Take this medicine via the mouth as instructed by your doctor. Generally, this medicine is taken with 3 or 4 doses regularly before intestinal surgery to lower the risk of infection. You should follow the instructions by your doctor with any diet restrictions and take this medicine before the surgery. Do not increase the dose of this medicine without consulting with your doctor. As per the manufacturer, it is recommended that this medicine should not be used for more than 2 weeks in every treatment period.
Dosage instructions – The dose of any medicine is based on your past medical history, age, and response to treatment. If you are new user of this medicine then this tablet should be taken with a low dose to lower the risk of any side effects.
- Miss dose – During treatment, if you miss the dose any time then take this medicine as soon as possible. But do not take an extra dose of this medicine to make up the dose as it may cause side effects.
- Overdose – The overdose of this medicine can cause unwanted side effects that are harmful to your health. So, if you take an overdose of this medicine by fault then immediately contact to your doctor for medical help.
Side-effects – There are some side effects after using this medicine for treatment are given below –
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Seizure
- Difficulty in walking
- Itching
- Muscle twitching
- Problem in breathing
- Dizziness
- Rash
- Numbness
During medication, if you are suffering from any one of the side effects for a long period then consult with your doctor as soon as possible for medical help.
Precautions – There are several important precautions before or after taking this medicine are discussed below –
- You should discuss with your doctor about your past or present medical conditions before taking this medicine.
- Do not take this medicine if you have an allergic problem to this medicine as it may cause several side effects.
- This medicine is not recommended for medical use during pregnancy as it may harm your unborn baby.
- If you have any kidneys or hearing problems after taking this medicine then consult with your doctor due to this drug may cause kidney or hearing problems.
- This medicine should not be given to children without consultation with your doctor.
- You must read and follows all the instructions on your prescriptions before taking this medicine.
- You can consult with your doctor if you breastfeeding your baby before taking this medicine as this drug may pass into breast milk and be harmful for your infant.