Lincomycin is an antibiotic approved in Germany only for use in veterinary medicine. It is primarily effective against Gram-positive bacteria. In the United States and Canada, it is also approved for the treatment of humans.
What is lincomycin?
Lincomycin (chemical molecular formula: C18H34N2O6S) is a drug belonging to the class of antibiotics. In Germany, lincomycin is only approved for use in veterinary medicine. In the USA, however, the substance is also used in humans. Lincomycin belongs to the lincosamides, all of which have antibiotic activity. The molar mass of the substance is 406.54 g/mol. The drug is obtained by isolation from the bacterium Streptomyces lincolnensis. Chemically, lincomycin is composed of propylproline and the amino sugar methylthiolincosamide, which are linked by an amide bond. Lincomycin hydrochloride monohydrate is normally used medicinally. Lincomycin is mainly effective against Gram-positive bacteria. Lincomycin is present in the form of a white to off-white crystalline powder and has only a faint odor. The drug is soluble in water. Overall, the substance is slightly basic. The solution for injection is colorless to faint yellow. The melting point of the hydrochloride monohydrate is about 145 to 147 degrees Celsius. That of the monohydrochloride at about 155 to 157 degrees Celsius.
Pharmacological effects on the body and organs
The spectrum and mode of action are similar to that of clindamycin, which is also approved for use in humans in Germany. However, it is less potent. As with macrolides, the action of lincomycin is based on inhibition of protein biosynthesis by binding to the 50-S subunit of bacterial ribosomes. Gram-positive pathogens are particularly sensitive to lincomycin. For this reason, the substance is effective against streptococci and staphylococci, for example. Depending on the dosage and sensitivity of the pathogen, the effect of the substance is either bacteriostatic or bactericidal. The active substance accumulates in the macrophages, the “scavenger cells” of the immune system, and is transported with them to the site of action. The metabolization of lincomycin takes place exclusively in the liver. The substance is excreted in the feces. Sufficient concentration is not reached in the cerebrospinal fluid to exert an effect.
Medical use and use for treatment and prevention.
When considering medical use, the first thing that stands out is that lincomycin is not approved for use in humans in Germany. Thus, in terms of human medicine, there is no use of the substance in Germany. In the United States, however, lincomycin is also used in human medicine. It can be stated that the substance covers the same spectrum of activity as the macrolides and the substance clindamycin, which also belongs to the lincosamide group, but is less potent than clindamycin and less tolerable than the representatives of the macrolides. In veterinary medicine, lincomycin is used against all bacteria sensitive to the active substance. In general, its use is for various bacterial infections of domestic and farm animals, with best efficacy for respiratory infections. In veterinary practice, lincomycin is a commonly prescribed antibiotic.
Risks and side effects
Of great importance is the method of application of lincomycin. In herbivores, it should not be administered perorally because this can lead to fatal side effects. For this reason, horses, ruminants, guinea pigs, rabbits, and hamsters can receive lincomycin only parenterally. If peroral administration is given to these animals, fatal inflammation of the colon may result from clostridia resistant to lincomycin. If lincomycin is applied intramuscularly, painful swelling may occur at the injection site. When administered intravenously, it should be noted that if administered too rapidly, it may cause thrombophlebitis, a drop in blood pressure, and cardiac arrest. Peroral administration may cause gastrointestinal inflammation with vomiting and bloody diarrhea. In case of hypersensitivity to the active substance, it must not be administered. In Germany, lincomycin is not approved for the treatment of humans.
