Colistimethate Sodium

Colistimethate sodium is an antibiotic medication that belongs to the polymyxin class. It is derived from the bacterium Bacillus polymyxa var. colistinus and is primarily used for the treatment of bacterial infections, particularly those caused by multidrug-resistant strains of gram-negative bacteria.

Colistimethate sodium is administered parenterally, typically through intravenous infusion or intramuscular injection. Upon administration, colistimethate sodium is converted into its active form, colistin, which exerts its antibacterial effects by disrupting the structure of the bacterial cell membrane. This disruption leads to increased permeability of the membrane, leakage of intracellular contents, and eventual bacterial cell death.

Colistimethate sodium is often reserved for the treatment of serious infections when other antibiotics have proven ineffective due to emerging antibiotic resistance. It is particularly effective against bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, which are notorious for developing resistance to multiple antibiotics.