Clinical data | |
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Pronunciation | /rɪˈfæmpəsɪn/ |
Trade names | Rifadin, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a682403 |
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Routes of administration |
by mouth, IV |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 90 to 95% (by mouth) |
Protein binding | 80% |
Metabolism | Liver and intestinal wall |
Biological half-life | 3–4 hours |
Excretion | Urine (~30%), faeces (60–65%) |
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PDB ligand | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.032.997 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C43H58N4O12 |
Molar mass | 822.94 g/mol |
3D model (Jmol) | |
Melting point | 183 to 188 °C (361 to 370 °F) |
Boiling point | 1,004.42 °C (1,839.96 °F) |
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(what is this?) |
Rifampicin, also known as rifampin, is an antibiotic used to treat several types of bacterial infections. This includes tuberculosis, leprosy, and Legionnaire's disease. It is almost always used along with other antibiotics, except when given to prevent Haemophilus influenzae type b and meningococcal disease in people who have been exposed to those bacteria. Before treating a person for a long period of time, measurements of liver enzymes and blood counts are recommended. Rifampicin may be given either by mouth or intravenously.
Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. It often turns urine, sweat, and tears a red or orange color. Liver problems or allergic reactions may occur. It is part of the recommended treatment of active tuberculosis during pregnancy, even though its safety in pregnancy is not known. Rifampicin is of the rifamycin group of antibiotics. It works by stopping the production of RNA by bacteria.
Rifampicin was discovered in 1965, marketed in Italy in 1968, and approved in the United States in 1971. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. It is available as a generic medication. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about 3.90 USD a month. In the United States it is expensive, with a month of treatment being about 120 USD. Rifampicin is made by the soil bacterium Amycolatopsis rifamycinica.
Rifampicin is used for the treatment of tuberculosis in combination with other antibiotics, such as pyrazinamide, isoniazid, and ethambutol. For the treatment of tuberculosis, it is administered daily for at least 6 months. Combination therapy is utilized both to prevent the development of resistance and to shorten the length of treatment.Resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to rifampicin develops quickly when it is used without another antibiotic, with laboratory estimates of resistance rates from 10−7 to 10−10 per tuberculosis bacteria per generation.