Gentamycin Sulfate

Gentamycin (Gentacycol) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic and was isolated from Micromonospora species. It is a broad-spectrum cell culture antibiotic that is nontoxic to viruses and mammalian cells at antibacterial and antimycoplasmal concentrations. Its extended stability and slow development of bacterial resistance allow long-term virus and tissue culture studies. It is not used for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis or Legionella pneumophila bacterial infections (because of the risk of the patient going into shock from lipid A endotoxin found in certain Gram-negative organisms). Gentamicin is also useful against Yersinia pestis and its relatives although need for treatment in most cases is rare, as this bacterium is the one that causes plague.