Neomycin palmitateProduct ingredient for Neomycin

Neomycin is a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic drug that is derived from the metabolic products of Streptomyces fradiae.⁵ Neomycin is a complex comprised of three components, neomycin A, B, and C.² Neomycin B, also known as framycetin, is the most active component of the complex and neomycin C is the isomer of neomycin B, making these two stereoisomers the active components of neomycin.^1,2 Neomycin A, or neamine, is a moiety that conjoins two molecules of neomycin B and C together.¹ Neomycin is active against both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms and mediates its pharmacological action by binding to bacterial ribosomes and inhibiting protein synthesis, which is crucial for the survival of bacteria.⁹

Neomycin sulfate is the most common form for pharmaceutical preparations; because the compound is a complex, the amount of neomycin in products is measured in units.² Neomycin sulfate as monotherapy is available in an oral solution for adjunct use in the treatment of hepatic coma.⁵ It is also used in combination with polymyxin B sulfates and hydrocortisone in otic suspensions for use in the treatment of bacterial infections in the external auditory canal, including infections caused by medical procedures in the ear.⁶ Neomycin is also used in combination with polymyxin B sulfates and dexamethasone in ophthalmic preparations for use in the treatment of inflammatory conditions and infections in the eye.⁷ Neomycin is also available in over-the-counter topical products to prevent minor skin infections.