Was reading back on some old Minocycline posts and found one Mitchell contributed about its Pros and Cons. Here is a copy of it for anyone interested:
Minocycline "pros" and "cons"
Advantages:
Very effective. Minocycline has several advantages over other tetracyclines in the treatment of acne, including more rapid clinical improvement, superior efficacy and effective absorption with or without food.
Less photosensitizing. Photosensitivity is least likely with minocycline than with other tetracyclines25-26.
High concentrations in the tissues. Minocycline is widely distributed in body tissues27, with higher concentrations being found in cerebrospinal fluid and sputum than with other tetracycline antibioticss. As in blood, the concentration in tissues is generally 2 to 4 times higher with minocycline than with tetracycline. Equivalent blood and tissue levels achieved whether administered intravenously or orally.
Long half-life (from 11 to 23 hours).
Broader spectrum of antimicrobal activity. Against certain pathogens, minocycline is more potent than the other tetracyclines. Minocycline has excellent in vitro inhibitory activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci, particularly methicillin-resistant S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis strains3-5.
Can be used in renal impairment. Minocycline, like doxycycline and unlike other tetracyclines, can be used in patients with renal impairment (malfunction of the kidneys). Doxycycline and minocycline are eliminated through the hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal tracts. Most tetracyclines should be avoided in patients with renal insufficiency.
Less likely to cause bacterial resistance. Minocycline produces less antibiotic resistance than tetracycline.28-29 Bacterial cell membranes contain a lipid layer. One mechanism of building up a resistance to an antibiotic is to produce a thicker lipid layer. This layer makes it difficult for an antibiotic to penetrate. Minocycline chemical structure makes it the most lipid soluble of all the tetracyclines.
Disadvantages:
Expensive. Minocycline is considerably more expensive than the other generic tetracyclines.
Contraindicated in children. May cause enamel hypoplasia and permanent teeth discoloration.
Lupus-like syndrome. Minocycline is more likely than other tetracyclines to produce a lupus-like syndrome. Minocycline-induced lupus is characterized by the development of non-specific symptoms after long-term consumption of the drug, and the patient usually continues to take minocycline despite their illness as the association is not immediately obvious1. These abnormalities tend to occur after prolonged therapy (often longer than 12 months).
Serum sickness-like reaction. Minocycline induced serum sickness like reaction (SSLR) was first reported in 199030. This is a type of delayed allergic reaction, in which the immune system interprets the antibiotic as a foreign threat. A serum sickness-like reaction (SSLR) to drug usually consists of cutaneous rash, arthralgia/arthritis, and, often, fever.
Photosensitivity. Minocycline may increase sensitivity to sunlight, resulting in more frequent sunburns or the development of rashes following sun exposure.
Intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri) is an accumulation of fluid around the brain. Minocycline can cause the rare condition of secondary intracranial hypertension31 which has initial symptoms of headache, visual disturbances, and confusion.
Dizziness and other vestibular side effects. Minocycline can cause quite severe dizziness, nausea, vertigo and vomiting32. Vertigo has been reported in as many as 86% of individuals in some series33.
Hyperpigmentation. Unlike other tetracyclines, minocycline can cause a potentially irreversible slate-grey hyperpigmentation of the skin. Blue or blue-black oral pigmentation was seen in 10% of patients taking minocycline for at least 1 year; the rate increased to 20% after 4 years of continuous use2. Large daily doses of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) may prevent this phenomenon34.
Mode of action
Antibacterial
The tetracyclines are primarily bacteriostatic and are thought to exert their antimicrobial effect by the inhibition of protein synthesis.
Minocycline is a semisynthetic derivative of tetracycline and is active against many tetracycline resistant strains of organisms such as staphylococci, streptococci and E. coli. Thus the combined results of many studies show its activity against approximately 87% of tetracycline resistant staphylococci. Minocycline is also active against many strains of staphylococci which are resistant to penicillin G and certain semisynthetic penicillins.
Neuroprotective effect
Minocycline and other tetracycline derivatives have neuroprotective effects unrelated to their antimicrobial properties. Minocycline has the greatest permeability of all tetracyclines through the blood-brain barrier and is well suited for treatment of CNS disorders.
Minocycline can reduce neuronal death after excitotoxicity and ionizing radiation in culture6-7 and in animal models of stroke7-9, Parkinson's disease10-11, Huntington's disease12, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis13. The neuroprotective effects of minocycline have been attributed both to reduced inflammation and a direct effect on neuronal survival.
Anti-inflammatory effect
Minocycline induces anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects unrelated to its antimicrobial activitiy15. Although the exact mechanisms of minocycline anti-inflammatory effects are still poorly understood, they may include the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity, the inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase14, prostaglandin E2, caspase-1, caspase-3, and COX-2 expressions and the impairment of cytokine production.
Time for Minocycline to clear out the system
Minocycline half-life is 16 hours (range: 11-23 hours).
```````~~~Mitchell~~~
I dont like the possible greyish skin discoloration that can occur. Has anyone ever experienced any of this, or know of anyone who has from taking Minocycline? Almost sounds like argyria ( which can occur from taking too much Colloidal Silver! )
Post edited by: VicMac, at: 11/10/2011 08:23 PM
bettyg, leader