II. Indications
- Minor open wounds
- Burn Injury
- Skin Abrasions
- Hordeolum
III. Mechanism
- Bacitracin A (and other cyclic polypeptides) are produced by spore forming Bacillus subtilis (licheniformin group)
- Bacitracin inhibits carrier (C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate) transporting Bacterial cell wall precursors across Bacterial plasma membrane
- Blocks peptidoglycan synthesis and Bacterial cell wall construction
- Covers typical Gram Positive Bacteria on the skin (includes MSSA)
- May speed Wound Healing (retains moisture within the wound, preventing eschar)
- When Antibiotics are not indicated, consider bland topicals (e.g. aquaphor) instead
- Bacitracin Zinc is preferred over "triple Antibiotic" (Neomycin/polymyxin B/Bacitracin)
- Triple Antibiotic ointment has a greater risk of Contact Dermatitis, without significant added benefit
IV. Dosing
- Apply one to three times daily
V. Adverse Effects
VI. Resources
- Bacitracin Ointment (DailyMed)
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Related Studies
bacitracin (on 12/21/2022 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing) | ||
BACITRACIN 500 UNIT/GM OINTMNT | Generic OTC | $0.07 per gram |
BACITRACIN 500 UNIT/GM OPHTHALMIC OINTMENT | Generic | $30.53 per gram |
BACITRACIN ZN 500 UNIT/GM OINT | Generic OTC | $0.07 per gram |
BACITRACIN-POLYMYXIN EYE OINT | Generic | $2.64 per gram |
Ontology: Bacitracin (C0004599)
Definition (NCI) | A complex of cyclic polypeptide antibiotics, mainly bacitracin A, produced by spore-forming organisms belonging to the licheniformin group of the Bacillus subtilis with antibacterial activity. Bacitracin binds to C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate, a biphosphate lipid transport molecule that carries the building blocks of the peptidoglycan bacterial cell wall. The binding interferes with the enzymatic dephosphorylation of the C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate and prevents peptidoglycan synthesis, thereby inhibiting bacterial cell growth. |
Definition (MSH) | A complex of cyclic peptide antibiotics produced by the Tracy-I strain of Bacillus subtilis. The commercial preparation is a mixture of at least nine bacitracins with bacitracin A as the major constituent. It is used topically to treat open infections such as infected eczema and infected dermal ulcers. (From Goodman and Gilman, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1140) |
Concepts | Antibiotic (T195) , Amino Acid, Peptide, or Protein (T116) |
MSH | D001414 |
SnomedCT | 255965000, 5220000, 370330005 |
LNC | LP14906-9, MTHU002155 |
English | bacitracin, bacitracin (medication), BACITRACIN, Bacitracin [Chemical/Ingredient], Bacitracin (substance), Bacitracin product (product), Bacitracin product, BAC, Bacitracin, Bacitracin, NOS, Bacitracin [dup] (substance) |
Swedish | Bacitracin |
Czech | bacitracin |
Finnish | Basitrasiini |
Russian | BATSITRATSIN, БАЦИТРАЦИН |
Spanish | bacitracina (producto), producto con bacitracina (producto), producto con bacitracina, bacitracina (sustancia), bacitracina, Bacitracina |
Polish | Bacytracyna |
Japanese | バシトラシン, アイフィビス |
French | Bacitracine |
German | Bacitracin |
Italian | Bacitracina |
Portuguese | Bacitracina |