Tigecycline is an antibiotic medication developed by the U.S. Food And Drug Administration and initially approved on 16 June 2005, for treating serious bacterial infections in the skin and abdomen.

Tigecycline works by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and preventing them from multiplying. It does this by interfering with the bacterial cell wall synthesis, which is essential for survival.

Tigecycline will be administered to you by a healthcare professional in a hospital setting. It is usually administered as an intravenous injection into a vein. Your doctor will decide the dose, route of administration, and frequency based on your disease condition and other factors.

The side effects known to occur commonly during the treatment with Tigecycline are injection site reactions (pain, inflammation), diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abscess, infections, dizziness, headache, poor or slow wound healing, low blood sugar, low protein levels in the blood, rash, loss of appetite, stomach ache, and indigestion.

This drug is contraindicated in individuals with known hypersensitivity or allergic reactions to other tetracycline-class antibiotics, such as minocycline or doxycycline. Before receiving this injection, it's necessary to discuss your medical history and any current medications with your physician. Some specific considerations include poor wound healing, diarrhea, liver problems, cholestasis (blockage of the bile ducts), or the use of anticoagulants (medicines to prevent excessive blood clotting). Your physician needs to be aware of these conditions or medications to determine if Tigecycline suits you or if any adjustments need to be made to your treatment plan.

If you have diarrhea before starting Tigecycline treatment or if you develop diarrhea during or after treatment, you must notify your doctor immediately. Do not take any diarrhea medication without consulting your doctor first. This drug is unsafe to administer to pregnant women because it may cause fetal harm. Inform your physician if you are pregnant, suspect pregnancy, or planning to become pregnant. It is unknown if this medicine passes into the breast milk. Please consult your doctor before breastfeeding. 

Tigecycline may interfere with the effectiveness of oral contraceptives (birth control pills). If you are taking oral contraceptives, discuss the need for additional contraceptive methods with your physician. Practice good and safer hygiene to help prevent the spread of infections. When sneezing or coughing, cover your mouth and nose, and dispose of tissues properly.

1. Piramal Critical Care Limited, Electronic medicines compendium (EMC), [ Revised on Sep 2022] [ Accessed on 13th July 2023], https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.14071.pdf
2. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc, US Food and Drug Administration, [ Revised on July 2010] [ Accessed on 13th July 2023], https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2010/021821s021lbl.pdf
3. Goodman & Gilman's, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Protein synthesis inhibitors, and miscellaneous antibacterial agents, 12th edition, 2011, 1524 -1525.
4. KD Tripathi, Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, Tetracyclines and chloramphenicol, 7th edition, 2013, 738.

The drug information on this page is not a substitute for medical advice; it is meant for educational purposes only. For further details, consult your doctor about your medical condition to know if you are eligible to receive this treatment.