Peptide
Gramicidin
Gramicidin is a cyclic peptide antibiotic from Bacillus brevis, first isolated 1941, FDA-approved 1955 as Neosporin component. Topical use only (lozenges, eye drops, ointments) due to hemolysis. Gramicidin D (mixture of A/B/C) used clinically. Ophthalmic study (n=91): Effective and safe for bacterial corneal ulceration. Combined with polymyxin B and neomycin. One of first membrane-active peptide antibiotics. SAFETY CONCERN: Highly hemolytic - systemic use contraindicated.
- Updated
- How we grade
- 27 studies cited
Research notice. This page is for education and research. Peptides may not be FDA-approved for human use and may only be legally available for research. Talk to a qualified clinician before considering any peptide.
- Best evidence
- Grade A
- Conditions studied
- 4
- Outcomes
- 8
- Graded outcomes
- 1340
Evidence by condition
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hemolytic Toxicity SAFETY CONCERN: Highly hemolytic - cannot be administered systemically. Internal use contraindicated. Topical absorption negligible. Limits use to topical applications only. | Worsens (the measure goes up) | Large effect | 6 studies | |||
Studies that measured hemolytic toxicity
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Skin Health
- Wound Infections: improves
General
- Antimicrobial Activity: improves
- Lipid Profile: improves
- Safety/Tolerability: improves
Respiratory Health
- Sore Throat Symptoms: changes; see studies
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sore Throat Symptoms Systematic review: Limited evidence for topical antibiotics in sore throat. Gramicidin lozenges used historically. Double-blind study (n=468): Gramicidin/cetylpyridinium combination tested. Evidence quality remains low. | Changes; see studies | Small effect | 6 studies | |||
Studies that measured sore throat symptoms
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Key findings
- Hemolytic ToxicityWorsens (the measure goes up)
- Bacterial Corneal UlcerationImproves (the measure goes up)
- Wound InfectionsImproves (the measure goes up)
Studies cited
27 studies from PubMed
- Lipid Composition of Nanocarriers Shapes Interactions of Cyclic Antimicrobial Peptide Gramicidin S with Their Membranes.
- Discovery of a potent ornithine-modified gramicidin S analogue against drug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis with minimal red blood cell toxicity.
- Machine-Learning Approach to Increase the Potency and Overcome the Hemolytic Toxicity of Gramicidin S.
- Modifying Membranotropic Action of Antimicrobial Peptide Gramicidin S by Star-like Polyacrylamide and Lipid Composition of Nanocontainers.
- A New Gramicidin S Analogue with Potent Antibacterial Activity and Negligible Hemolytic Toxicity.
- Efficacy of topical drugs in the treatment of patients with acute inflammatory diseases of the pharynx
- Topical (local) antibiotics for respiratory infections with sore throat: An antibiotic stewardship perspective
- The Multifaceted Antibacterial Mechanisms of the Pioneering Peptide Antibiotics Tyrocidine and Gramicidin S
- Gramicidin Lateral Distribution in Phospholipid Membranes: Fluorescence Phasor Plots and Statistical Mechanical Model.
- Structure, toxicity and antibiotic activity of gramicidin S and derivatives.
- Polycationic gramicidin S analogues with both high antibiotic activity and very low hemolytic activity.
- 'Inverted' analogs of the antibiotic gramicidin S with an improved biological profile.
- Gramicidin S and polymyxins: the revival of cationic cyclic peptide antibiotics
- Optimization of antimicrobial drug gramicidin S dosing regime using biosimulations.
- Interaction of gramicidin S and its aromatic amino-acid analog with phospholipid membranes.
- Beta-turn modified gramicidin S analogues containing arylated sugar amino acids display antimicrobial and hemolytic activity comparable to the natural product.
- Interaction of gramicidin derivatives with phospholipid monolayers.
- The efficacy and safety of topical polymyxin B, neomycin and gramicidin for treatment of presumed bacterial corneal ulceration
- Structure-activity relationships of de novo designed cyclic antimicrobial peptides based on gramicidin S
- [Structural and functional characteristics of gramicidin S in connection with its antibiotic activity].
- Membrane-bound structure and alignment of the antimicrobial beta-sheet peptide gramicidin S derived from angular and distance constraints by solid state 19F-NMR.
- The interaction of the antimicrobial peptide gramicidin S with lipid bilayer model and biological membranes
- Syntheses and antibacterial activities of gramicidin S analogs containing L-ornithine in place of L-valine.
- Kinetics of gramicidin channel formation in lipid bilayers: transmembrane monomer association.
- Mode of antibacterial action by gramicidin S.
- Utilization of gramicidin dragee in throat inflammation and tonsillitis
- Gramicidin S; relationship of cyclic structure to antibiotic activity.