Side effect(s) of Minocycline

Last Updated on Apr 25, 2023

Review the side-effects of Minocycline as documented in medical literature. The term "side effects" refers to unintended effects that can occur as a result of taking the medication. In majority of the instances these side-effects are mild and easily tolerable, however sometimes they can be more severe and can be detrimental.

If the side effects are not tolerable adjusting the dosage or switching to a different medication can help to manage or overcome side effects. If you have any doubts or questions, we recommend seeking advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

  Digestive tract- Loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, indigestion, mouth ulcer, discoloration of the tongue and difficulty in swallowing.

   Genitourinary- Vaginal inflammation

   Liver- Liver disease, jaundice, and liver failure.

  Skin- Skin rash, itching, pigmentation of nails, hair loss,serious skin reactions, light-sensitive skin reactions.

  Respiratory- Cough, difficulty in breathing, asthma and lung inflammation.

  Kidney- Kidney damage, kidney failure.

  Musculoskeletal- Joint pain/swelling / stiffness, tooth discoloration in children when the drug is taken during pregnancy, or when it is administered in children, muscle pain.

  Ear- Hearing difficulties

  Allergic reactions - Allergic reactions which may be mild to severe

  Blood- Decrease in blood cell counts.

  Central Nervous System- Seizures, dizziness, tingling, sedation, headache and unsteadiness.

  Miscellaneous- Fever, discolorations of secretions

Other Precautions :

Avoid long-term use of this medication; otherwise it may cause secondary infection.
Avoid excess dosage.
Minocycline tablet should be swallowed whole with plenty of water to reduce the risk of irritation or ulceration to the foodpipe.
Monitor for possible thyroid cancer in patients who are prescribed the drug over prolonged duration.

Drug Name : Minocycline

Minocycline(Dynacin) generic Minocycline is a broad spectrum tetracycline antibiotic. It acts by inhibiting the growth of bacteria in the body. • It is used for certain infections such as rickettsial infections like Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, typhus fever, rickettseal pox and tick fever, sexually transmitted diseases like lymphogranuloma venereum, granuloma inguinale, chancroid and non-gonococcal urethritis, eye infections like trachoma and inclusion conjunctivitis, atypical pneumonia, psittacosis, relapsing fever, acne, brucellosis, Campylobacter infections, bartonellosis, plague and cholera. •It may be effective in other infections as well, however several bacteria have developed resistance to the drug. •It may be used in patients who are allergic to the penicillin group of drugs as an alternative. •It is also used in people who carry the meningococcal bacteria in their nose and upper throat but do not suffer from any symptoms. •Local application of minocycline is used in patients with gum disease along with scaling and root planing.