Acnecycline
(Tetracycline)
Kills bacteria and treats acne.
Our bottom line
Acnecycline (Tetracycline) treats many different types of infections and is cheap, but dosing and drug interactions may be somewhat of a hassle.
- Drug class: Dermatologic
- Rx status: Prescription only
- Generic status: Lower-cost generic available (tetracycline)
Upsides
- Effectively treats a wide range of conditions and is used for many different types of infections.
- Effective for acne.
- Cheap.
- Good choice for people on kidney dialysis who need an antibiotic. Tetracycline isn't removed by dialysis, so the dose doesn't need to be changed.
Downsides
- For most infections you'll need to take it 4 times a day (or every 6 hours).
- It needs to be spaced out from food, milk, vitamins, and some medications.
- Can cause tongue darkening, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
- Tetracycline makes your skin more sensitive to the sun and ultraviolet light. Wear sunblock and protective clothing, and don't go tanning.
- Interacts with birth control and makes it less effective. Use a backup form of birth control if you don't want to get pregnant.
- Not a good choice for children ages 8 and under. Tetracycline can cause permanent staining of teeth in babies and young children.
Acnecycline (Tetracycline) is an antibiotic. It prevents bacteria from growing, reproducing, and repairing themselves. It also changes your immune system response (immunomodulating effect), which helps treat skin conditions.
- Drug class: Dermatologic
- Rx status: Prescription only
- Generic status: Lower-cost generic available (tetracycline)
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Cream, gel, or ointment
Prices and coupons
Skip prices section. Skip to what to expect section.- Pay as low as$187.24Retail priceRetail priceLearn more
- Kroger PharmacyGet free coupon$94.33
- Get free coupon$101.94
- AlbertsonsGet free coupon$101.94
Side effect rates for Acnecycline (Tetracycline)
Manufacturers don’t say how common these side effects are when taking Tetracycline for
- Anorexia
- Nausea
- Epigastric distress
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Glossitis
- Black hairy tongue
- Dysphagia
- Enterocolitis
- Inflammatory lesions
- Esophagitis
- Esophageal ulceration
- Permanent teeth discoloration
- Enamel hypoplasia
- Maculopapular
- Erythrematous rashes
- Exfoliative dermatitis
- Onycholysis
- Discoloration of nails
- Photosensitivity
- Rise in BUN
- Hepatotoxicity & liver failure
- Urticaria
- Angioneurotic edema
- Anaphylaxix
- Anaphylactoid purpura
- Pericarditis
- Exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus
- Fever
- Rash
- Arthralgia
- Hemolytic anemia
- Thrombocytopenia
- Thrombocytopenia purpura
- Neutropenia
- Eosinophilia
- Intracranial pressure
- Black microscopic discoloration of thyroid glands
Risks and Warnings for Acnecycline (Tetracycline)
Skip risks section. Skip to common concerns section.- Higher risk if:
- › Pregnancy
- › Age younger than 8 years
Acnecycline (Tetracycline) and similar medicines can affect the growth and development of teeth in the fetus, infant and in children younger than 8 years old. Avoid using if you're pregnant, breast-feeding, or in children less than 8 years of age and ask your doctor about other effective medicine choices.
Pharmacist Q&A
Frequently Asked Questions
Common concerns from people taking Acnecycline (Tetracycline)
Final section. Do you want to return to drug navigation?Research studies with animals found harmful effects on unborn babies. It hasn’t been properly studied in humans. The benefits might outweigh the risks even if you’re pregnant. Talk with your doctor.
Tip: Always talk with your doctor before you take any medication while pregnant.- Interacts with birth control and makes it less effective. Use a backup form of birth control if you don't want to get pregnant.
- Take your dose at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals, milk, or multivitamins with minerals.
- Acnecycline (Tetracycline) can lower your kidney function causing buildup of substances that should be removed from the body. There's a higher risk if you have current problems with your kidneys. It's also important that you don't take Acnecycline (Tetracycline) past the expiration date on your prescription label. This was more of a problem with older forms of the medicine, which could change and damage your kidneys.
- Liver injury can happen rarely with Acnecycline (Tetracycline). There's a higher risk if you have kidney disease. Your doctor should check your liver function before starting you on Acnecycline (Tetracycline).
- Good choice for people on kidney dialysis who need an antibiotic. Tetracycline isn't removed by dialysis, so the dose doesn't need to be changed.