polymyxin
Noun: A type of antibiotic drug derived from the bacterium Bacillus polymyxa. Polymyxins are primarily used as a last-resort treatment for serious infections caused by certain multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
Polymyxin is used to treat severe bacterial infections, particularly when other antibiotics are ineffective. It is often administered in a hospital setting. - The doctor prescribed polymyxin B for the patient's resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. - Due to potential toxicity, polymyxin is typically reserved for life-threatening cases.
- "Polymyxin resistance": Refers to the ability of bacteria to withstand the effects of polymyxin antibiotics, a growing concern in healthcare.
- The emergence of polymyxin resistance is a major challenge for treating carbapenem-resistant infections.
- Polymyxin B: A specific variant commonly used in clinical medicine, often applied topically or via injection.
- Polymyxin E (Colistin): Another variant, often used interchangeably with the term "colistin," which is administered intravenously or by inhalation for systemic infections.
- Polymyxin sulfate: A salt form of the antibiotic used in some preparations.
- Antibiotic: A broader category of substances that inhibit or destroy microorganisms.
- Colistin: Specifically synonymous with polymyxin E.
Polymyxins are notable for their cationic detergent-like properties, which disrupt the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Their use is limited by potential side effects, including nephrotoxicity (kidney damage) and neurotoxicity.
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any of several toxic antibiotics obtained from a particular soil bacterium
