Minocin 100mg MR Capsules

What is Minocin and what is it used for?

Containing the antibiotic minocycline, Minocin MR capsules are prescribed to treat mild to moderate acne, by killing the excess bacteria, propionibacterium, which builds up over time on the skin.

Administered as a 100mg capsule, Minocin MR will need to be taken for up to eight weeks. The active ingredient is minocycline, a tetracycline antibiotic, which is highly effective at treating acne vulgaris and other bacterial infections. This medication is also available under the generic name Minocycline 100mg MR capsules, which costs substantially less than the brand name.

Manufactured by Mylan, the brand Minocin MR capsule contains a modified-release formulation of 100mg of minocycline. This medicine is available on prescription for adults over the age of 18 years in boxes of 56 tablets.

What is acne?

Acne develops when excess sebum (an oily secretion of the sebaceous glands) and dead skin cells are present on the skin, giving the bacteria food on which to multiply. The waste materials from the bacteria then block the pores and this causes irritation which leads to acne. Read more about the causes for acne.

Once the bacteria are killed, there cease to be any waste materials and so the acne clears up. Keep your skin as clean as possible from any build-up of keratin skin cells and sebum, by washing with a mild cleanser such as Acnecide or Cetaphil Daily Cleanser that will not irritate your skin.

How does Minocin work?

Minocycline is the active ingredient in Minocin Capsules and is in a class of medications called tetracycline antibiotics. This type of antibiotic works to treat acne by inhibiting the growth and spread of a specific type of bacteria that infects the pores in the skin. It also helps improve the condition and appearance of the skin by decreasing the natural oily substance, sebum, that can contribute to acne.

Does Minocin help dry skin?

If dry skin also presents itself in the same place as the acne, use a water-based emollient (a preparation that softens skin) which is fragrance-free, to soften your skin. This preparation will not lead to blocked pores.

Alternative acne treatments

Acne is a very common skin complaint that can affect individual people differently, meaning that some people will find certain treatments more effective than others. It is recommended that if you do suffer from acne you start off by trying over the counter treatments. These treatments include:

• Acnecide Gel
  
• Acnecide Daily Cleanser
• Cetaphil Daily Cleanser

If you have tried over the counter treatments and these have not been effective, you should speak to your GP about further prescription-only options. For details of all our acne treatments please take a look at our Advice for Acne page.

Sources

• Minocin Capsules, Patient Information Leaflet: https://www.medicines.org.uk/e...
• https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/...

Minocin warnings

You should not take Minocin MR 100mg capsules if you:

• Have had an allergic reaction to tetracycline antibiotics.
• Have kidney or liver disease.
• Have lupus or myasthenia gravis.

Minocin and other medicines

Do not take Minocin if you take any of the following medicines:

• Anticoagulants (e.g. warfarin)
• Penicillin antibiotics
• Isotretinoin or other retinoids
• Quinapril
• Ergotamine
• Methysergide
• Diuretics

Minocin, pregnancy & breastfeeding

You should not take Minocin if you are trying to get pregnant, you are pregnant or there is a chance you could be pregnant. You should also not take Minocin if you are breastfeeding.

Before taking Minocin Capsules please ensure you have read the Patient Information Leaflet thoroughly.

Minocin dosage

For adults between 18 to 65 years: Take 1 Minocin MR capsule daily, at the same time each day for up to 3 months and then reviewed.

• Minocin MR capsules should always be taken with a full glass of water.
• Minocin MR should be taken on an empty stomach, this is usually 1 hour before food or 2 hours after food.
• Minocin MR capsules should not be taken at the same time as indigestion remedies. A gap of 2 -3 hours should be left between taking each treatment.

Minocin ingredients

Minocin MR capsules contain the active ingredient: minocycline 100mg (in a modified release formulation).

It also contains the inactive ingredients: titanium dioxide (E171), iron oxide yellow (E172), iron oxide red (E172), gelatin, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, hypromellose phthalate 50, hypromellose (E464) and light liquid paraffin.

Minocin side effects

Like other medicines, Minocin can cause some people to experience side effects. The most common side effects are usually mild and improve during the course of treatment, these include:

• Diarrhoea or sickness
• Loss of appetite
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Hearing problems
• Increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight causing itching, redness, scaling or blistering.
• Cough
• Loss of hair

If you experience severe side effects or are worried about any symptoms you develop while taking this medication you should speak to a doctor as soon as possible.