Adult: Dose is expressed in terms of lymecycline (408 mg lymecycline is equivalent to 300 mg tetracycline base): 408 mg daily for at least 8 weeks. Child: ≥12 years Same as adult dose.
Adult: Dose is expressed in terms of lymecycline (408 mg lymecycline is equivalent to 300 mg tetracycline base): 408 mg bid, may increase to 1,224-1,632 mg over 24 hours, if needed, for severe infections. Child: ≥12 years Same as adult dose.
Administration
Should be taken on an empty stomach.
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to lymecycline or other tetracycline antibiotics. Overt renal insufficiency. Children <8 years. Pregnancy and lactation. Concomitant use with oral retinoids.
Special Precautions
Patient with myasthenia gravis or SLE. Hepatic impairment. Children ≥12 years.
Adverse Reactions
Significant: Oesophageal irritation and ulceration, photosensitivity, benign intracranial hypertension; may exacerbate SLE; fungal or bacterial superinfection including Clostridiodes difficile-associated diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis (prolonged use). Blood and lymphatic system disorders: Neutropenia, thrombocytopenia. Eye disorders: Visual disturbances. Gastrointestinal disorders: Nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, glossitis, enterocolitis, epigastralgia. General disorders and administration site conditions: Pyrexia. Hepatobiliary disorders: Hepatitis, jaundice. Immune system disorders: Anaphylactic reaction, hypersensitivity reaction, angioneurotic oedema. Investigations: Increased transaminases, blood alkaline phosphatase, blood bilirubin. Nervous system disorders: Headache, dizziness. Psychiatric disorders: Nightmares, depression. Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: Erythematous rash, urticaria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, pruritus.
Patient Counseling Information
Avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight and UV light during treatment; use sunblock or protective clothing when going outdoors.
Monitoring Parameters
Perform culture and susceptibility tests; consult local institutional recommendations before treatment initiation due to antibiotic resistance risks.
Drug Interactions
Concomitant use with divalent and trivalent cations (e.g. Mg, Al, Ca, bismuth, and Fe preparations), colestyramine, and quinapril may reduce the absorption of lymecycline. May increase the serum level of lithium. May enhance the effects of anticoagulants, which may increase the risk of haemorrhage. May interfere with the bacteriocidal action of penicillin and β-lactam antibiotics. Potentially Fatal: Increased risk of benign intracranial hypertension with oral retinoids and vitamin A (>10,000 international units daily). Concomitant use with methoxyflurane may result in renal toxicity.
Lab Interference
May result in false elevations of urine glucose or urinary catecholamine levels.
Action
Description: Mechanism of Action: Lymecycline, a tetracycline derivative, blocks the access of bacterial aminoacyl-transfer RNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit, thus preventing protein synthesis. Its exact mechanism for the treatment of acne vulgaris has not been fully elucidated; however, its effect is expected to be due to its inhibition of susceptible organisms on the surface of the skin and reduction of free fatty acids in the sebum, which are believed to be a possible cause of inflammatory lesions (e.g. papules, pustules, nodules, cysts) of acne. Pharmacokinetics: Absorption: Readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Time to peak plasma concentration: 3-4 hours. Distribution: Widely distributed in most body fluids and tissues (notable in the lungs, muscle, bones, liver, prostate, urine, bladder, and bile). Crosses the placenta and enters breast milk. Excretion: Mainly via urine (25%); bile. Elimination half-life: Approx 10 hours.
Chemical Structure
Lymecycline Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 54707177, Lymecycline. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Lymecycline. Accessed May 25, 2023.
Sign Out
