All About Rifampicin And Tuberculosis
Rifampicin is an antibiotic in the rifampicin family. It is a semi-synthetic compound and the first choice in tuberculosis. Read on to find out all about the connection between rifampicin and tuberculosis.
However, this drug should not be used as monotherapy: in other words, rifampicin should not be the only drug a patient receives to treat tuberculosis.
This would promote the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. That is why doctors give this drug along with other drugs. Keep reading to learn more about this treatment!
Rifampicin also has other indications, such as treating patients who carry Neisseria meningitides bacteria but have no symptoms. In addition , rifampicin is effective in:
- the prophylactic treatment of Haemophilus influenzae type B.
- the treatment of leprosy.
The history of rifampicin
This antibiotic first appeared on the market in the 1960s. Scientists first obtained rifampin B, a metabolite of rifampin. They then tried to make a series of structural modifications to the molecule.
This was done to increase its antibiotic potency while decreasing its rapid elimination through bile. Finally, they were able to synthesize rifampicin.
Since its introduction to the market , rifampicin has been considered the first-line treatment for tuberculosis. However, bacteria became resistant to rifampin and this forced doctors to use it in combination with other drugs such as isoniazid and also ethambutol.
However, the discovery of rifampin was undoubtedly a breakthrough in the medical field. Learn more about this drug in the section of this article below!
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a disease resulting from a bacterial infection, with the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In most cases , this microorganism affects the lungs.
In addition, infected people can spread the disease through the air when they sneeze or cough, for example. Unfortunately, inhaling the emitted particles is enough to become infected.
However, tuberculosis is a preventable disease and today doctors can cure most patients. Since the year 2000, more than 49 million patients have been cured thanks to the diagnostic possibilities and treatments of modern medicine.
As for the signs and symptoms of this disease, it depends in which area the bacteria multiply. Normally, as mentioned earlier, tuberculosis usually affects the lungs and causes the following symptoms:
- Intense and prolonged cough
- Chestpain
- Cough accompanied by blood or thick mucus
- Fever and Chills
- weight loss
- Decreased appetite
What is the effect of rifampicin on the body?
Rifampicin owes its antibiotic effects to its ability to inhibit the RNA synthesis of bacterial cells. To do this, it inhibits the action of RNA polymerase, a DNA-dependent enzyme. Rifampicin does not bind to the polymerases of eukaryotic cells, so it does not affect the synthesis of human RNA.
On the other hand, this drug is bacteriostatic or bactericidal depending on the dose administered. At lower doses, it will be bacteriostatic: that is, it prevents the development of bacterial cells. At higher doses it will have a bactericidal effect. In other words, it kills the bacteria.
What is the correct dose?
The correct dose varies from patient to patient. As for the recommended doses in adult patients not infected with HIV, this drug is administered both orally and intravenously at a maximum dose of 600 mg per day. If the patient has HIV, the dose will be 10 mg/kg, both orally and intravenously.
As for children, the dose for HIV negative is reduced to 10-20 mg/kg per day, while the maximum dose is 600 mg. However, it is always combined with another antituberculous drug. If the child has HIV, the dose is the same.
Patients take the drug once a day for two months along with another antituberculous drug. Thereafter, the patient should take isoniazid and rifampicin at the same dose once a day or 2 or 3 times a week for the next 4 months.
Conclusion
Rifampicin is an antibiotic that is used as the first choice in tuberculosis treatment, but always in combination with other drugs. The combination became necessary because of the resistance that bacteria managed to develop against the drug.
You can ask your doctor or pharmacist any questions about this medicine. Always follow the instructions your healthcare providers give you. Both misuse and abuse of drugs can lead to serious health problems .
