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colistimethate sodium

The sodium salt of colistimethate, a broad-spectrum polymyxin antibiotic against most aerobic Gram-negative bacteria except Proteus bacteria. Colistimethate sodium contains the pentasodium salt of the penta(methanesulfonic acid) derivative of colistin A as the major component and a small proportion of the petasodium salt of the pentamethanesulfonate derivative of colistin B. Colistins are cyclic polypeptides produced from Bacillus colistinus or B. polymyxa and function as a surfactant which penetrates into and disrupts the bacterial cell membrane, thereby resulting in bactericidal effect.
Synonym:colimyscine
colistin sodium methanesulfonate
pentasodium colistinmethanesulfonate
US brand name:Coly-Mycin
Code name:W-1929
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