Role of terramycin in ophthalmology.

Abstract

WITH THE discovery of new antibiotic substances the treatment of ocular diseases has changed considerably during recent years. One of the new broad bacterial spectrum antibiotics is terramycin. 1 This antibiotic will be compared with previously reported substances to determine its role in ophthalmology. 2 Terramycin is an amphoteric compound whose empirical formula is believed to be C 22 H 22-24 N 2 O 9 · 2H 2 O. 3 The chemical and physical properties of terramycin have been studied, 4 as well as its antimicrobial action 5 and pharmacodynamics. 6 Numerous articles on the clinical effectiveness of terramycin in a wide variety of infections have appeared in the literature. 7 At the time of this writing no published reports are available on the effectiveness of terramycin in the treatment of ocular infections. Terramycin hydrochloride, powdered and in a special ophthalmic borate buffer, and 0.1 per cent terramycin hydrochloride in