Lincosamides

What are lincosamides?

Lincosamides are a class of antibiotics. Antibiotics are medications that treat bacterial infections. Other classes of antibiotics include tetracyclines and penicillins.

What are the types of lincosamides?

The three main types of lincosamides are:

• Clindamycin, the main lincosamide used in humans.
• Lincomycin, now rarely used.
• Pirlimycin, used in cattle but not humans.

How do you take lincosamide antibiotics?

How you take lincosamide depends on your condition. You can take lincosamides several ways:

• Intramuscularly (injected into your muscle).
• Intravaginally (injected into your vagina).
• Intravenously (IV, injected into your bloodstream).
• Orally (by mouth).
• Topically (applied on your skin).

What do lincosamides treat?

Lincosamides treat infections caused by gram-positive and anaerobic bacteria. Gram-positive bacteria are those that produce a positive result in a test called the Gram stain. The test determines the type of cell wall the bacteria have, which can indicate what types of medications might be effective. Anaerobic bacteria are those that can survive and grow in places that have no oxygen.

Providers often prescribe these antibiotics for infections caused by Staphylococcus bacteria, like Staph infection and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). They’re also used against infections caused by Streptococcus bacteria.

Who should use lincosamides?

Your provider may prescribe a lincosamide antibiotic if you have:

• An abscess in your lung or elsewhere.
• Blood infections like septicemia or toxic shock syndrome (TSS).
• Infections in your skin, soft tissues, mouth, respiratory tract or gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
• Infections in the female reproductive system like pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
• A penetrating wound in your abdomen (when an object such as a knife or bullet enters your belly or gut).
• Severe acne or rosacea.
• A skin or soft-tissue infection.

These antibiotics are also used to:

• Prevent endocarditis in people with heart valve disease.
• Treat pneumonia in people with HIV.

How do lincosamides work?

Lincosamides’ mechanism of action — or how they work — is by making it difficult for bacteria to create a protein. This is a process called protein synthesis. Protein synthesis allows bacteria to grow.

Are lincosamides static or cidal?

Limiting protein synthesis can prevent bacteria from growing (bacteriostatic effect) or kill bacteria (bactericidal effect). Therefore, lincosamides can be both “static” and “cidal.”

What side effects do lincosamides have?

Lincosamide antibiotics tend to cause gastrointestinal side effects, like:

• Abdominal pain.
• Diarrhea.
• Nausea and vomiting.

They can also cause:

• Accumulation of fluid beneath your skin, with intramuscular injection.
• Bruises.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Fatigue.
• Jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes).
• Vaginal discharge or itching.

Notify your healthcare provider if you have signs of an allergic reaction or serious side effects, such as:

• Bloody diarrhea.
• Shortness of breath (dyspnea).
• Skin rash.
• Trouble swallowing (dysphagia).

What are the benefits of using lincosamides?

Lincosamides can be especially effective at treating infections that are severe or resistant to other treatments. They’re also helpful for people who are allergic to penicillin, another type of antibiotic.

What are the risks of using lincosamides?

Lincosamide antibiotics may cause serious side effects that make you need to stop treatment. These side effects include:

• Anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction.
• Azotemia, too much waste product in your bloodstream.
• Esophagitis, inflammation of your esophagus.
• Liver or kidney dysfunction.
• Pseudomembranous colitis, swelling of your large intestine.
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), severe and possibly life-threatening skin reactions.
• Thrombocytopenia, a low platelet count.

Can you overdose on lincosamides?

Taking slightly too much of an antibiotic usually doesn’t cause an overdose. But it can make symptoms and side effects significantly worse. If you take extra lincosamide doses, contact your healthcare provider.

How long should you take/use lincosamides?

Your dose and duration of treatment depend on the condition you have. Your healthcare provider will determine how much you should take and how long you should take it.

Can lincosamide drugs affect blood sugar?

Some research shows that people exposed to lincosamides might have an increased risk of developing diabetes. But more research is needed.

Who should not take or use lincosamides?

Lincosamides should be used with caution if you:

• Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Are taking chloramphenicol or macrolides, which are other antibiotics, because they may interact and decrease effectiveness.
• Have preexisting problems with your liver, kidneys or gastrointestinal system.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

A provider may prescribe a lincosamide if you have a bacterial infection that’s particularly aggressive or resistant to treatment. It may be stressful for you to experience an infection that isn’t responding to initial treatments. But lincosamides can be effective against certain stubborn infections, like MRSA. Your provider will consider all of your symptoms and health history and advise you on what to expect with this treatment.