indication
For the treatment of acute and chronic intestinal amebiasis (it is not effective in extraintestinal amebiasis). Also for the management of hepatic coma as adjunctive therapy.
pharmacology
Paromomycin is a broad spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic produced by
Streptomyces rimosus var. paromomycinus. The in vitro and in vivo antibacterial action of paromomycin closely parallels that of neomycin.
mechanism of action
Paromomycin inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 16S ribosomal RNA. Bacterial proteins are synthesized by ribosomal RNA complexes which are composed of 2 subunits, a large subunit (50s) and small (30s) subunit, which forms a 70s ribosomal subunit. tRNA binds to the top of this ribosomal structure. Paramomycin binds to the A site, which causes defective polypeptide chains to be produced. Continuous production of defective proteins eventually leads to bacterial death.
absorption
Poorly absorbed after oral administration, with almost 100% of the drug recoverable in the stool.