Why is this medication prescribed?
Ofloxacin is in a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, and works by fighting bacteria in the body.
This medicine is used to treat bacterial infections that cause bronchitis, pneumonia, chlamydia, gonorrhea, skin infections, urinary tract infections, and infections of the prostate.
Furthermore, the ophthalmic solution is used to treat bacterial infections of the eye, such as conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers.
Drug class and mechanism:
Ofloxacin is bactericidal via its effects on DNA gyrase, an enzyme responsible for counteracting the excessive supercoiling of DNA during replication or transcription. Although human cells do not contain DNA gyrase, they do contain a topoisomerase enzyme that functions in the same manner. This mammalian enzyme is not affected by bactericidal concentrations of quinolones. It is unclear how inhibition of DNA gyrase leads to bacterial cell death. Both rapid and slow growing organisms are inhibited by fluoroquinolones. In addition, fluoroquinolones exhibit a prolonged post-antibiotic effect (PAE). Organisms may not resume growth for 2-6 hours after exposure to ofloxacin, despite undetectable drug levels.
Dosage and using this medicine
What special precautions should I follow?
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?