Minocycline, sold under the brand name Minocin among others, is a tetracycline antibiotic medication used to treat a number of bacterial infections such as pneumonia. It is generally (but not always) less preferred than the tetracycline doxycycline. Minocycline is also used for the treatment of acne and rheumatoid arthritis. It is taken by mouth or applied to the skin. Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, dizziness, allergic reactions, and kidney problems. Serious side effects may include anaphylaxis, a lupus-like syndrome, and easy sunburning. Use in the later part of pregnancy may harm the baby and safety during breastfeeding is unclear. It works by decreasing a bacterium's ability to make protein thus stopping its growth. Minocycline was patented in 1961 and came into commercial use in 1971. It is available as a generic medication. In 2020, it was the 236th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1million prescriptions. Medical uses Acne Minocycline and doxycycline are frequently used for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Both of these closely related antibiotics have similar levels of efficacy, although doxycycline has a slightly lower risk of adverse side effects. Historically, minocycline has been an effective treatment for acne vulgaris. However, acne that is caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a growing problem in many countries. In Europe and North America, a number of people with acne no longer respond well to treatment with tetracycline family antibiotics because their acne symptoms are caused by bacteria (primarily Cutibacterium acnes) that are resistant to these antibiotics. In order to reduce resistance rates as well as increase the effectiveness of treatment, oral antibiotics should be generally combined with topical acne creams such as benzoyl peroxide or a retinoid (tretinoin, adapalene, etc.). Minocycline is used in the treatment of acne. Infections Minocycline is also used for other skin infections such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Although minocycline's broader spectrum of activity, compared with other members of the group, includes activity against Neisseria meningitidis, its use for prophylaxis is no longer recommended because of side effects (dizziness and vertigo). It may be used to treat certain strains of methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection and a disease caused by drug-resistant Acinetobacter spp. A list of uses includes: Amoebic dysentery Anthrax Bubonic plague Cholera Ehrlichiosis Gonorrhea (when penicillin cannot be given) Gougerot-Carteaud syndrome (confluent and reticulated papillomatosis) Hidradenitis suppurativa For use as an adjuvant to HAART Leprosy Periodontal disease Perioral dermatitis