Polytrim

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from light, excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom).

Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA's Safe Disposal of Medicines website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location – one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

Do not use this medicine while wearing contact lenses. Polymyxin B and trimethoprim ophthalmic may contain a preservative that can discolor soft contact lenses. Wait at least 15 minutes after using this medicine before putting in your contact lenses.

Do not use other eye medications unless your doctor tells you to.

It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on polymyxin B and trimethoprim used in the eyes. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all medicines you use, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.

• It is used to treat eye infections.

Use Polytrim as ordered by your doctor. Read all information given to you. Follow all instructions closely.

• To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses.
• Use as you have been told, even if your signs get better.
• For the eye only.
• Avoid wearing contacts unless told to wear them by your doctor.
• Do not touch the container tip to the eye, lid, or other skin.
• Tilt your head back and drop drug into the eye.
• After use, keep your eyes closed. Put pressure on the inside corner of the eye. Do this for 1 to 2 minutes. This keeps the drug in your eye.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

• Use a missed dose as soon as you think about it.
• If it is close to the time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your normal time.
• Do not use 2 doses at the same time or extra doses.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

• Store at room temperature.
• Protect from light.
• Keep all drugs in a safe place. Keep all drugs out of the reach of children and pets.
• Check with your pharmacist about how to throw out unused drugs.

Trimethoprim is a synthetic antibacterial drug active against a wide variety of aerobic gram-positive and gram-negative ophthalmic pathogens. Trimethoprim blocks the production of tetrahydrofolic acid from dihydrofolic acid by binding to and reversibly inhibiting the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. This binding is stronger for the bacterial enzyme than for the corresponding mammalian enzyme and therefore selectively interferes with bacterial biosynthesis of nucleic acids and proteins.

Polymyxin B, a cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic, is bactericidal for a variety of gram-negative organisms, especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It increases the permeability of the bacterial cell membrane by interacting with the phospholipid components of the membrane.

Blood samples were obtained from 11 human volunteers at 20 minutes, 1 hour and 3 hours following instillation in the eye of 2 drops of ophthalmic solution containing 1 mg trimethoprim and 10,000 units polymyxin B per mL. Peak serum concentrations were approximately 0.03μg/mL trimethoprim and 1 unit/mL polymyxin B.

Microbiology: In vitro studies have demonstrated that the anti-infective components of Polytrim® are active against the following bacterial pathogens that are capable of causing external infections of the eye:

Trimethoprim: Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus faecalis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Haemophilus aegyptius, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis (indole-negative), Proteus vulgaris (indole-positive), Enterobacter aerogenes and Serratia marcescens.

Polymyxin B: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter aerogenes and Haemophilus influenzae.

In the U.S.

• Polytrim

In Canada

• Pms-Polytrimethoprim

Available Dosage Forms:

• Solution

Therapeutic Class: Antibiotic Combination

Pharmacologic Class: Trimethoprim

Polymyxin B and trimethoprim combination is used to treat eye infections, including acute bacterial conjunctivitis and blepharoconjunctivitis.

Polymyxin B and trimethoprim belong to the class of medicines known as antibiotics. They work by killing the bacteria or preventing their growth.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.