UNAVAILING CLINICAL POTENTIAL OF GATIFLOXACIN, A PROMISING FLUOROQUINOLONE REVIEW

Majalekar Priyanka* and Shirote Pramodkumar

ABSTRACT

Gatifloxacin is 8-methoxy fluoroquinolone introduced by Bristol-Myers Squibb in 1999. In May 2006, gatifloxacin was withdrawn by Bristol-Myers Squibb from the market because of it‟s severe dysglycemic events. As well as by notification of Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry of India on 18 March 2011 banned the manufacture, sale as well as distribution of gatifloxacin containing oral and injectable formulations from market. Certain in vitro experiments & post marketing surveillance devoted that dysglycemia viz. hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia is more common with gatifloxacin. In today‟s COVID 19 pandemic situation, gatifloxacin can act as antiviral through RNA messenger inhibitor or inhibition of viral helicases, topoisomerases II at low concentration. The fluoroquinolones like gatifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin were found to be clinically effective in the treatment of the single-stranded RNA HCV and the non-enveloped, encapsulated DNA polyomavirus BK. So, gatifloxacin can be used to combact against corona virus. Therefore, observed potential severity of the reaction and increasing use of gatifloxacin, it is important to be aware with this phenomenon.

Keywords: Gatifloxacin, Antibacterial, Dysglycemia, Antiviral, COVID 19.