Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone (also called 4-quinolone, or quinolone carboxylic acid) which was developed by Bayer Pharmaceuticals for both oral and parenteral use. It is one of the second generation of quinolones (others include norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, and enoxacin) which have substantially enhanced antibacterial activity compared with nalidixic acid. The chemical formula of ciprofloxacin is 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-1,4-dihydro-4-oxo-7-(1- piperazinyl) 3-quinolone carboxylic acid hydrochloride.

Mechanism of action

Fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin are similar to nalidixic acid and other fluoroquinolones in their mode of action. The mechanisms of fluoroquinolone resistance are discussed above under 2b. Emerging resistance and cross-resistance). The key targets of quinolones are DNA gyrase and DNA topoisomerase IV, which are both large complex essential bacterial enzymes composed of two subunits – for DNA gyrase, GyrA and GyrB (encoded by the gyrA and gyrB genes, respectively), and for topoisomerase IV, ParC and ParE. The two enzymes work together in the replication, transcription, recombination, and repair of DNA.

Uses

Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic. It belongs to a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones.It is used to treat serious infections, or infections when other anitbiotics have not worked.It's used to treat bacterial infections, such as:

chest infections (including pneumonia);

skin and bone infections;

sexually transmitted infections (STIs);

conjunctivitis;

eye infections;

ear infections;

It can be used to help stop people getting meningitis if they have been really close to someone with the infection.

Side effects

Fluoroquinolones appear to be associated with relatively few side effects, although a wide range of incidents have been reported. Manufacturers'data suggest that the rate of all adverse events is up to 19% for oral and 29% for i.v. ciprofloxacin; with 7.1%, 8.6%, and 3.4% regarded as probable, possible, and remotely related reactions, respectively. Only 1.5–3.5% of patients have reactions sufficiently severe to require cessation of therapy.