tetracycline

American  

[te-truh-sahy-kleen, -klin] / ˌtɛ trəˈsaɪ klin, -klɪn /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. an antibiotic, C 22 H 24 H 2 O 8 , derived from chlortetracycline, used in medicine to treat a broad variety of infections.

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tetracycline British  

/ -klɪn, ˌtɛtrəˈsaɪklaɪn /

noun

1. an antibiotic synthesized from chlortetracycline or derived from the bacterium Streptomyces viridifaciens: used in treating rickettsial infections and various bacterial infections. Formula: C 22 H 24 N 2 O 8

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tetracycline Scientific  

/ tĕt′rə-sī′klēn′,-klĭn /

1. A yellow crystalline compound, C ₂₂ H ₂₄ N ₂ O ₈, synthesized or derived from several bacterial species of the genus Streptomyces and used as an antibiotic in bacterial infections. Other drugs of the tetracycline class have a similar chemical structure.

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Etymology

Origin of tetracycline

First recorded in 1950–55; tetra- + cycl- + -ine ²

Example Sentences

They modified a section of the RNA near the polyA signal such that it can now bind to a small molecule, FDA-approved tetracycline in this case.

From Science Daily • Jan. 2, 2024

The first is a phototoxic reaction, often seen with certain antibiotics such as tetracycline.

From New York Times • Jul. 6, 2023

Doxycycline, a relative of the antibiotic tetracycline, has been around for more than 45 years and is commonly used to treat and prevent acne and Lyme disease.

From Science Magazine • Jul. 27, 2022

Oral antibiotics, especially from the tetracycline class, have long been used to treat recalcitrant acne, but this approach brings concerns about disruption of the gut microbiome and the development of antibiotic resistance.

From Washington Post • Jun. 21, 2022

Lord knows what sort of metabolism uses tetracycline for food—but they are growing mud that yields an incredibly rich concentration of antibiotic ... their native food.

From The Native Soil by Nourse, Alan Edward

Related Words

• penicillin