neomycin

American  

[nee-oh-mahy-sin] / ˌni oʊˈmaɪ sɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. an antibiotic produced by an actinomycete, Streptomyces fradiae, administered orally or locally, used chiefly for skin, urinary tract, and eye infections and as a surgical antiseptic.

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neomycin British  

/ ˌniːəʊˈmaɪsɪn /

noun

1. an antibiotic obtained from the bacterium Streptomyces fradiae, administered locally in the treatment of skin and eye infections or orally for bowel infections. Formula: C 12 H 26 N 4 O 6

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Etymology

Origin of neomycin

First recorded in 1945–50; neo- + -mycin

Example Sentences

In the study, researchers found that mice who had neomycin in their nostrils exhibited strong antiviral activity against both SARS-CoV- 2 and a highly virulent strain of influenza A virus.

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2024

“So this suggests that we might be able to use Neosporin or neomycin in humans to induce this antiviral state that we also saw in animals.”

From Salon • Apr. 27, 2024

The scientists gave half the participants a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics, including neomycin, vancomycin and metronidazole.

From Nature • Nov. 26, 2019

Many of the most common triggers of allergic contact dermatitis aren’t associated with organic-style products, such as the metal nickel and antibiotics neomycin and bacitracin.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2016

It is still too early to put neomycin among the widely useful antibiotics because of possible harmful side effects such as kidney damage.

From Time Magazine Archive