The bacterial life cycle is somewhat different than that of human cells. This allows different antibiotics to be used to combat the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Clindamycin, like most antibiotics, takes advantage of subtle differences in the ways in which human and bacterial cells survive and works to slow the growth of bacteria, which makes it effective against many different kinds of bacteria.
Formulations
Clindamycin is an antibiotic that comes in many different forms. According to the Mayo Clinic, clindamycin can be taken orally or be injected into the body. Drugs.com also indicates that there are topical forms of clindamycin, which can come in the form of an ointment or patch.
Mechanism
As Pediatric Care Online explains, clindamycin works by preventing bacteria from making new proteins. Clindamycin blocks off a portion of the bacterial protein synthesizing machinery called the 50s portion of the ribosome. Ribosomes are needed to make new proteins. By slowing bacterial synthesis, clindamycin makes it harder for bacteria to grow.
Effectiveness
Clindamycin is an effective treatment for gram-positive aerobic bacteria (ones that use oxygen to generate energy) and also anerobic bacteria (bacteria that do not consume oxygen). Clindamycin can also be used to treat anthrax, malaria and some forms of acne. Clindamycin is also used to treat toxoplasmosis in patients with weakened immune systems or in pregnant mothers.
Pseudomembranous Colitis
The most common complication of clindamycin use is opportunistic infections from the bacteria Clostridium difficile. Clostridium difficile is a bacteria that normally (and harmlessly) colonizes the colon. Because clindamycin can eliminate the other bacteria in the colon, it can give the C. difficile bacteria the space and resources to overgrow the colon, leading to a severe infection known as pseudomembranous colitis.
Contraindications
Clindamycin use is not recommended for patients who are allergic either to clindamycin or lincomycin (a related antibiotic). It also should not be used by patients who are also taking erythromycin, as the two antibiotics have the same mechanism of action. Drugs.com also notes that patients with intestinal problems (such as colitis or Crohn's) may not be suited for clindamycin--the same goes for patients with kidney disease or asthma.
