Table 1.
Frequently used antibiotics for gut microbiota depletion and their characteristics
| Antibiotics | Spectrum of activity | Intestinal Absorption |
|---|---|---|
| Ampicillin (± sulbactam) |
Broad spectrum (mostly Gram +) |
Extensive 30–55% |
| Ciprofloxacin | Broad spectrum | Extensive |
| Streptomycin | Broad spectrum | Poor |
| Neomycin | Broad spectrum | Poor |
| Kanamycin | Broad spectrum | Unknown |
| Imipenem (Cilastatin) |
Broad spectrum: both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria |
Poor |
| Vancomycin | Gram-positive Bacteria | Poorly absorbed from GI, systemic absorption (up to 60%) may occur following intraperitoneal administration |
| Metronidazole | Narrow spectrum: anaerobic bacteria |
Complete: lipophilic , rapidly and widely distributed after absorption. |
| Gentamicin | Mostly Gram negative | Poor30 |
| Colistin | Gram negative Bacilli | Very poor absorption from gastrointestinal tract |