Zymaxid. Bacterial conjunctivitis treatment with Zymaxid

FDA approved Zymaxid ophthalmic solution for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis. Zymaxid contains the active ingredient gatifloxacin that belongs to a group of fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Like other fluoroquinolone antibiotics Gatifloxacin works by inhibiting the enzyme DNA-gyrase. This enzyme is necessary for repairing and synthesis of bacterial genetic material (DNA). Suppression of this enzyme causes lysis of the microorganism. Zymaxid ophthalmic solution is used to treat bacterial conjunctivitis caused by Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, Streptococcus pneumonia.

Zymaxid is made by pharmaceutical company Allergan, Inc – company that specialized in producing high quality ophthalmic solution. Zymaxid is the medication with the highest dose of gatifloxacin on the US pharmaceutical market.

Zymaxid is effective against a wide variety of microorganisms including gram positive and gram negative microorganisms. Double blind clinical trials involved more than 1500 patients with bacterial conjunctivitis showed high effectiveness up to 90%

The recommended dose of Zymaxid  0.5% ophthalmic solution is 1 drop instilled in the affected eye or eyes every two hours while awake on day up to eight times, followed by one drop instilled two to four times per day in the affected eye or eyes while awake on days two through seven.

The most common Zymaxid  side effects included: eye pain, redness, irritation, aggravation of conjunctivitis, dysgeusia. As with other antibacterial preparations, long-term application of gatifloxacin may lead to overgrowth of nonsusceptible microorganisms such as fungi.