Ciprofloxacin (Ciproxin / Ciloxan)

Ciprofloxacin (Ciproxin / Ciloxan) is an antibiotic that is approved for treating several common bacterial infections. It is being tested in combination with other drugs for treating Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI).

Ciprofloxacin is usually taken as tablets, although it can also be given in an intravenous form for treating urinary tract infections or gonorrhoea.

It belongs to the 4-quinolone family of drugs, which have occasionally been reported to cause seizures in some people. Other side-effects include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, headache and rash. Rare reports of peripheral neuropathy and tendon rupture have been reported in patients receiving this drug, as have hypersensitivity reactions.^{1 2}

Ciprofloxacin can have dangerous interactions with the asthma treatments aminophylline (Minijet / Phyllocontin Continus) and theophylline (Nuelin SA / Slo-Phyllin / Uniphyllin Continus). It should be taken two hours apart from antacids, ddI (didanosine, Videx / VidexEC) or other drugs that reduce stomach acidity, and from vitamin supplements containing iron or zinc.³ Ciprofloxacin is best taken on an empty stomach.

It does not interact with any currently available protease inhibitors or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).

Ciprofloxacin is manufactured by Bayer under the trade name Ciproxin.

Ciprofloxacin-resistant gonorrhoea is highly prevalent in the United States, the Pacific region, China, Japan and the Philippines. In Hawaii, prevalence reached 20% between 2000 and 2001.

The high prevalence of ciprofloxacin-resistant gonorrhoea led to the drug being abandoned as first-choice treatment for the infection in the United States in the late 1990s. As many as 10% of cases of gonorrhoea in the United Kingdom are now resistant to ciprofloxacin. Treatment guidelines were changed in late 2003, replacing ciprofloxacin with cefixime (Suprax) as first-line therapy for gonorrhoea.