Tigecycline: a new antibiotic.

Tigecycline is a novel antimicrobial agent recently licensed in the United Kingdom (UK), United States and Europe. It is a broad spectrum glycylcycline antibiotic which has structural similarities to the tetracyclines but is more potent against tetracycline-resistant organisms. It is only available as an intravenous (IV) preparation. This article reviews the clinical efficacy, side effect profile, dosing and administration schedule of tigecycline. The article also discusses the warnings and precautions associated with the use of this drug. Tigecycline may be used for complicated intra-abdominal and complicated skin and soft tissue infections. It is also likely to find a role in the treatment of infections caused by multi-resistant organisms such as Acinetobacter species.