Gelmicin: Ingredients, Dosage, Side Effects

Gelmicin is a topical ointment containing active ingredients that include gentamicin, betamethasone, clotrimazole and excipients. It has  anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and corticosteroids properties and has a wide range of use.

Composition

Every gram of the gelmicin cream contains 500mcg of betamethasone, 10mg of clotrimazole. 1mg of gentamicin as base including 100grams of excipients. Gelmicin cream is an oil-in-water emulsion containing mineral oil,white petrolatum and cetostearyl alcohol for its oil phase. Chlorocresol is used as preservative.

Active Ingredients

Betamethasone is a steroid medication used for a number of diseases such as rheumatic disorders, skin diseases and allergic conditions. It can be taken orally, injected intramuscularly or applied on the epidermis of the skin in form of lotion, cream or liquid. It is a corticosteroid and when used as a topical cream relieves skin irritation, itching and flaking from eczema. It is used as a treatment for local psoriasis.

Clotrimazole is an antifungal used for the treatment of fungal infections on the skin such as athlete foot and ringworm.

Gentamicin is an antibiotic which belongs to the class of medicines called aminoglycoside antibiotics which help to treat bacterial infections. It usually has a serious side effect causing damage to the kidneys of the human body.

Mechanism of Action of Gelmicin

The medicinal use of gelmicin is derived from the properties of its active ingredient; betamethasone acts as an anti-inflammatory, anti-pruritic and vasoconstrictor. Gentamicin is a wide spectrum bactericidal whille clotrimazole is an antifungal.

Together the active ingredient in gelmicin cream can be used for the treatment of a wide variety of skin problems from treatment of sores, wound, burns, rashes, friction, antifungal infections on the skin, as well as treatment and prevention of some gram positive and gram negative skin infections

Indications

Gelmicin cream/ointment can be used to treat the following ailment:

Dermatologic disorders:

Different skin diseases such as severe erythema multiforme, bullous dermatitis herpetiforms, mycosis fungoides, pemphigus

Endocrine disorders:

Gelmicin cream contains betamethasone which is a corticosteroid that can be used in cases of primary or secondary adrenocortical insufficiency as well as nonsuppurative thyroiditis, hypercalcemia associated with cancer and congental adrenal hyperplasia

Allergic states:

Gelmicin cream can be used in the treatment of different allergic reactions such as atopic dermatitis, drug hypersensitivity, transfusion reactions, seasonal allergic rhintis.

Rheumatic disorders:

Gelmicin cream can be used as a joint therapy for short term management of acute gouty arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, acute rheumatic carditis. It can also be used for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus, dermatomyostitis, polymyostitis.

Neoplastic Diseases:

For palliative management of leukemias and lymphomas.

Nervous System:

Acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis; cerebral edema associated with primary or metastatic brain tumor or craniotomy.

Gastrointestinal Diseases:

To tide the patient over a critical period of the disease in regional enteritis and ulcerative colitis.

Hematologic Disorders:

Acquired (autoimmune) hemolytic anemia, Diamond-Blackfan anemia, pure red cell aplasia, selected cases of secondary thrombocytopenia.

Miscellaneous :

Trichinosis with neurologic or myocardial involvement, tuberculous meningitis with subarachnoid block or impending block when used with appropriate antituberculous chemotherapy.

Dosage of Gelmicin

Gentamicin cream is for external use only. Apply a thin layer of cream on the affected area surrounding skin making sure it is completely covered. Duration and frequency of the therapy is determined by the physician according to the extent of the condition. Usually the diagnosis is reviewed if there are no observable improvements after 3-4 weeks.

Interactions

Use of phenytoin, ephedrine, phenobarbital, or rifampin increases metabolism of corticosteriods  to inactive form thereby reducing the effectiveness of the betamethasone content in gelmicin cream. The corticosteroid betamethasone in gelmicin cream affects the anticoagulant effect of coumarin-type anticoagulants and it would require a change in dosage of the anticoagulant.

In cases where corticosteroids are used as an antidiabetic drug, there will be a need to adjust dose when the patient also requires  the use of gelmicin cream.

Combined effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or alcohol with glucocorticosteroids may result in an increased occurrence or increased severity of gastrointestinal ulceration.

Concurrent use of corticosteroids with potassium-depleting diuretics may enhance Hypokalemia with cardiac glycosides may enhance the possibility of arrhythmias or digitalis toxicity associated with hypokalemia. Corticosteroids may enhance the potassium depletion caused by amphotericin B. In all patients taking any of these drug therapy combinations, serum electrolyte determinations, particularly potassium levels should be monitored closely.

Due to the corticosteriod content of betamethasone in gelmicin cream, bacterial test involving the use of nitroblue tetrazolium may give a false negative result.

Side Effects of Gelmicin Cream

Adverse reactions to Gelmicin cream therapy rarely occur but are reported to include discoloration of the skin or hypersensitivity. It may also include asymptomatic irritation which do not necessarily require discontinuation of the therapy.

Warning and Precautions

Gelmicin cream should be avoided by patients with history of sensitivity reactions to the active ingredients (betamethasone, gentamicin, clomatrizole) or any other components of gelmicin.

Topical corticosteroids are contraindicated in varicella, vaccinia, and tuberculosis of the skin.

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