Norfloxacin is a bactericidal active ingredient that is used in some broad spectrum antibiotics in human medicine and belongs to the group of so-called gyrase inhibitors. Norfloxacin and other representatives of this group of active substances kill bacteria by inhibiting their enzyme gyrase. Preparations that predominantly or exclusively contain norfloxacin may be used. a. Used to treat acute urinary tract infections (e.g. cystitis).
What is norfloxacin?
Due to its effect and other properties, norfloxacin is an antibiotic. The substance achieves its effect by inhibiting the bacteria 's own enzyme gyrase. This is vital for the bacteria, as it is essentially responsible for the so-called DNA supercoilling.
Norfloxacin therefore belongs to the class of gyrase inhibitors. The closely related antibiotics levofloxacin and ofloxacin are also part of this class of drugs. In addition, norfloxacin is also assigned to the fluoroquinolone substance class.
Preparations that contain norfloxacin as the active ingredient are prescribed to treat acute or chronic urinary tract infections. The colorless to pale yellow active ingredient is usually prescribed in the form of film-coated tablets and taken orally by the patient. In chemistry and pharmacology, norfloxacin is described by the empirical formula C 16 - H 18 - F - N 3 - O 3. This corresponds to a moral mass of 319.33 g / mol.
Pharmacological effect
Norfloxacin has a strong bactericidal effect. It follows from this that it kills infectious bacteria in a targeted and efficient manner. Typical of the gyrase inhibitor class of active ingredients, norfloxacin causes an inhibition (inhibition) of the enzyme gyrase. This is a protein that is produced by the infectious bacteria themselves. You need it to shape the spatial orientation of your DNA.
Because of the immense importance of gyrase for DNA supercoiling (ring-shaped design of the DNA), bacteria are not viable for long after the inhibition has been completed. They can no longer reproduce and die.
Since norfloxacin is particularly effective against bacteria that cause urinary tract infections or gonorrhea (colloquially "gonorrhea"), the antibiotic is mainly used in this area.
The active ingredient is usually used in monopreparations (drugs that rely on an active ingredient). Norfloxacin is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. It is then 25% plasma proteins and has a half-life of between 5 and 7 hours. Due to the material properties of norfloxacin, it is possible that an opiate test has a false positive result.
Medical application & use
Norfloxacin is considered an antibiotic with a wide range of active substances. It is therefore able to kill a large number of different bacteria in a highly effective manner. As an antibiotic belonging to the class of gyrase inhibitors, norfloxacin is used to treat infectious diseases. It is indicated for complicated and uncomplicated, chronic or acute infections of the urinary tract.
The drug can be used on both the upper and lower urinary tract. However, complicated inflammation of the renal pelvis and inflammation of the kidneys themselves (complicated pyelonephritis) are excluded. Because the European Medicines Agency and the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices changed their risk-benefit assessment in 2009 so that there is no longer an indication for these diseases. The reason given was an insufficiently demonstrable effectiveness in complicated pyelonephritis or pelvic kidney inflammation.
However, there is still an indication for infections of the urinary tract that occur in connection with surgical or urological interventions. Norfloxacin is also given for kidney stones. Other typical areas of application for the antibiotic include bladder infections in women, bacterial gastroenteritis and gonorrhea.
Norfloxacin can also be prescribed to prevent possible blood poisoning that could result from granulocytopenia. Norfloxacin is usually taken orally. The antibiotic is sold in tablet form and requires a prescription and pharmacy.
Risks & side effects
Norfloxacin must not be taken if you are hypersensitive (allergic) to the active ingredient. There is also a contraindication for allergies to other drugs of the same class of active ingredients (quinolo antibiotics e.g. levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, or ofloxacin). This means that from a medical point of view, the drug must not be taken as there is a contraindication.
This is also the case with pregnant women, children and adolescents and during breastfeeding. There is then no application. Even if complications of the tendons (especially tendinitis) have already occurred in connection with therapy with quinolo antibiotics, norfloxacin must not be taken.
Norfloxacin can cause undesirable side effects. However, this is not mandatory. Most treatments have no side effects. Studies have shown the following side effects:
- Common (1 to 10 out of 100 patients treated) develop leukopenia (low number of white blood cells), neutropenia (low number of granulocytes), increased liver values, headache, drowsiness, abdominal pain, nausea and rash.
- Occasionally (affects less than 1 in 100 people), treatment causes crystalluria (crystals in the urine), hemolytic anemia, fatigue, anxiety, nervousness and increased irritability, euphoria (high mood), hallucinations, seizures and hypersensitivity.
- Inflammation of the bowel, accompanied by fever and abdominal pain, as well as inflammation of the Achilles tendon are rare (affects less than 1 in 1,000 people).
- Very rarely (less than 1 in 10,000 patients treated), cardiac arrhythmias and breakdown of liver cells or muscle tissue may occur.
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