-2%
Bactoderm ointment is used for the topical treatment of skin infections such as impetigo caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. It is also effective in treating folliculitis (infection of hair follicles) and furunculosis (boils).
The active ingredient in Bactoderm is Mupirocin, a naturally occurring antibiotic produced by the fermentation of Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria. Mupirocin works by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. It does this by binding reversibly and specifically to bacterial isoleucyl transfer-RNA synthetase, an enzyme essential for protein production in bacteria.
Mupirocin is highly effective against a wide range of bacteria responsible for most skin infections, including:
- Staphylococcus aureus (including methicillin-resistant strains, MRSA)
- Streptococcus pyogenes
It also shows activity against certain gram-negative bacteria like Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenzae.
The drug is bactericidal at the concentrations achieved by topical use, although the bactericidal concentration is typically 8 to 30 times higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration.