Erythromycin

Also known as:  E-Mycin;  EES;  Emgel;  Emu-V;  Eryc;  Eryc-LD;  Erycette;  Eryderm;  Erygel;  Erythrocin;  Erythromycin Stearate;  Ilocap;  Ilotycin;  Ilosone

Erythromycin is a type of Macrolide Pharmaceutical Antibiotic derived from Streptomyces erythreus.  It was discovered in 1952.

Erythromycin binds to the 50S ribosomal subunits of susceptible bacteria and suppresses protein synthesis. The mode of action of erythromycin is by inhibition of the protein synthesis without affecting nucleic acid synthesis.

Immune System

 Erythromycin kills some types of Bacteria - Detrimental including:

 Bacillus anthracis

 Bordetella pertussis

 Erythromycin is the drug of choice for the treatment of Chlamydia pneumoniae infections.

 Campylobacter jejuni(however Erythromycin is usually only used in cases of severe or prolonged illness caused by Campylobacter jejuni)

 Chlamydia trachomatis

 Clostridium tetani

 Corynebacterium minutissimum

 Erythromycin is the drug of choice for the treatment of Corynebacterium diphtheriae infections (Diptheria).

 Haemophilus influenzae (however some strains of Haemophilus influenzae are resistant to Erythromycin)

 Helicobacter pylori

 Legionella pneumophilia

 Listeria monocytogenes

 Mycobacterium kansasii

 Mycobacterium scrofulaceum

 Mycoplasma pneumoniae

 Neisseria gonorrhoeae

 Streptococcus pneumoniae (caution:  some strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae are highly resistant to Erythromycin).

 Treponema pallidum

 Ureaplasma urealyticum

 Erythromycin is the drug of choice for the treatment of Legionnaire's Disease(due to its ability to kill the Legionella pneumophilia Bacteria that cause Leigonnaire’s Disease).