Procaine penicillin

Procaine penicillin is a form of penicillin, a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. It is a combination of procaine, a local anesthetic, and penicillin G, a broad-spectrum antibiotic. This combination is used to treat a variety of bacterial infections, including streptococcal infections, syphilis, and pneumonia.

History

Procaine penicillin was first developed in the 1940s, during the early years of antibiotic use. It was designed to reduce the pain associated with intramuscular injection of penicillin G, which was the most common method of administration at the time.

Pharmacology

Procaine penicillin works by inhibiting the synthesis of bacterial cell walls, leading to cell death. The procaine component acts as a local anesthetic, numbing the injection site to reduce pain.

Medical uses

Procaine penicillin is used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. It is particularly effective against Streptococcus species, and is the drug of choice for treating streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat). It is also used to treat syphilis, a sexually transmitted infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum. In addition, it is used to treat certain types of pneumonia, particularly those caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Side effects

Like all medications, procaine penicillin can cause side effects. These may include allergic reactions, such as rash, hives, and anaphylaxis. Other potential side effects include pain at the injection site, nausea, and diarrhea.

See also

• Penicillin
• Procaine
• Antibiotics
• Streptococcal infections
• Syphilis
• Pneumonia

Penicillin antibiotics

• penicillins first generation (natural penicillins)
  • benzathine penicillin, procaine penicillin, penicillin g, penicillin v, penicillin vk

• penicillins second generation (penicillinase-resistant penicillins)
  • cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, flucloxacillin, methicillin, nafcillin, oxacillin

• penicillins third generation (aminopenicillins)
  • amoxicillin, ampicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam, bacampicillin, pivampicillin
• see also amoxicillin-clavulanate

• penicillins fourth generation (extended-spectrum penicillins)
  • carbenicillin, mezlocillin, piperacillin, piperacillin-tazobactam, ticarcillin, ticarcillin-clavulanate