Methacycline is a tetracycline antibiotic, meaning its structure contains that of four fused rings. This broad-spectrum antibiotic is used against gram-positive bacteria and gram-negative bacteria, although its use has been reduced due to increased development of resistance by the bacteria. It is administered via an oral capsule and possesses a half-life of 14 hours. It is commonly used as it is excreted slowly out of the body and thus maintains effective levels for a longer period of time. It inhibits protein synthesis by inhibiting translation, this is done by binding to the ribosomal subunit. Methacycline binds to 16S of the 30S subunit which prevents amino-acyl tRNA from being transferred to site A of the ribosome.

Methacycline References