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Levofloxacin |
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| Biological agents targetted | Anthrax |
| Generally effective against | More effective against Gram-negative organisms than Gram-positive ones, but active against a number of important pathogens in both groups. |
| Available forms | Oral tablets, injection |
| Indications and usage | Recommended for use against against a wide variety of infections when susceptibility is demonstrated. May be safe for use for patients taking theophylline, warfarin, or cyclosporin. Specific dosage regimes are at the discretion of the attending physician acting on information from the manufacturer and the national authority for drug safety and use. Suggested dosages for specific agents may be on the individual agent pages, |
| Contraindications | Generally should not be given to people under 18 years of age. Any adverse reaction to other quinolones. |
| Drug interactions | Antacids containing divalent cations inhibit efficient absorption of Levofloxacin. |
| Adverse
reactions and side effects
NOTE: all such reactions are rare. |
Animal experiments indicate that levofloxacin may interfere with bone or cartilage in very young animals. In adults, nausea, diarrhea, headache and constipation are the commonest side effects. Levofloxacin is not carcinogenic or teratogenic in standard tests. |
| Mode of action | Levofloxacin inhibits an enzyme called DNA gyrase that is an essential component of the mechanism that passes genetic information onto daighter cells when a cell divides. |
| Structure |  |
| Chemical names | (-)-(S)-9-fluoro-2,3-dihydro-3-methyl-10-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-7-oxo-7H-pyrido[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazine-6-carboxylic acid hemihydrate Levofloxacin is the optically pure S-isomer of the racemic mixture marketed as ofloxacin. |
| CAS Registry number | 100986-85-4 |
| (known and reported, not all may be current.) |
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| Trade Name | Country |
| Cravit | Unknown |
| Floxacin | United States |
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