Tavanic®

Tavanic® is a prescription drug and may only be used on the doctor’s instructions. Tavanic® contains the active ingredient levofloxacin and is an antibiotic. It belongs to the antibiotic group of fluoroquinolones and is used against bacterial infections.

Tavanic® (or Levofloxacin) works by both inhibiting the growth of bacteria and killing them. It inhibits the enzyme gyrase, which bacteria need to unravel their DNA, thus preventing the reading of the DNA and the reproduction cycle is stopped. Tavanic® is used for various diseases where the usual antibiotics recommended at the beginning are not effective.

These diseases include

  • Acute bacterial sinusitis (inflammation of the sinuses),
  • A worsening of chronic bronchitis and pneumonia,
  • Skin and soft tissue infections,
  • Complicated urinary tract infections and renal pelvic inflammation, uncomplicated cystitis and
  • Chronic bacterial prostate inflammation.

A special feature of Tavanic® or the active ingredient Levofloxacin is that it forms a chelate complex with bivalent and trivalent ions. This means that Tavanic® can precipitate, i.e. react, with calcium and magnesium ions, for example, and thus lose its actual antibacterial effect. On the one hand, this property has an influence on the intake requirement of Tavanic®.

It should not be taken with milk or with certain medications (e.g. iron preparations, antacids). Furthermore, for these reasons Tavanic® should not be administered to children and adolescents in the growth phase. Adults cannot absorb the chelate complexes, while in adolescents complexes can be deposited and damage the joint cartilage.

In addition, pregnant and nursing women should also avoid Tavanic® and receive an alternative preparation. Particular caution is advised in patients over 65 years of age, concomitant use of steroids (cortisone preparations), known heart disease, known diabetes and also kidney dysfunction, as levofloxacin is excreted via the kidneys. Furthermore, Tavanic® should not be used if an allergy to levofloxacin or other antibiotics from the group of quinolones such as ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin or moxifloxacin or epilepsy is known.

In addition, one should also be careful with Tavanic® in cases of tendon disorders, since in rare cases tendons can be damaged or torn during therapy. Other undesirable effects of Tavanic® are skin rashes, problems in the gastrointestinal tract such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea or an increase in liver values in the blood. In addition, the use of Tavanic® is accompanied by photosensitization.

This means that the skin under therapy reacts more sensitively to UV radiation than in normal cases and it is therefore necessary to protect oneself from sunlight during the intake and not to expose oneself to direct sunlight. It is recommended to use sunscreen with a high sun protection factor and to dress additionally so that arms and legs are covered. As with any other drug, Tavanic® has to be considered that it has many undesirable side effects and can always interact with the existing medication as well as with food.

Thus, one should strictly follow the doctor’s instructions regarding dosage and prerequisites for taking the drug. You should also read the package insert to find out under which circumstances Tavanic® should not be taken and to assess possible side effects and report these directly to your doctor if they occur.