| ATC Code | A07AA11, D06AX11 |
| CAS number | 80621-81-4 |
| PUB number | 6436173 |
| Drugbank ID | DB01220 |
| Empirical formula | C43H51N3O11 |
| Molar mass (g·mol−1) | 785,88 |
| Physical state | solid |
Rifaximin is a semisynthetic, non-systemic antibiotic based on rifamycin, which means the drug does not pass through the gastrointestinal wall and does not enter the bloodstream, as is common with other types of antibiotics. It is used to treat traveler's diarrhea caused by E. coli, to reduce the risk of recurrence of overt hepatic encephalopathy, and to treat diarrhea-dominant irritable bowel syndrome in adult women and men.
Rifaximin acts by inhibiting RNA synthesis in susceptible bacteria by binding to the beta subunit of the bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-dependent ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase enzyme. This binding blocks translocation, halting transcription. As a result, the bacteria can no longer synthesize proteins, preventing them from reproducing.
Rifaximin is not absorbed systemically, so there are no data on pharmacokinetics. The half-life is approximately 6 hours.
Rifaximin has few unwanted other effects. These side effects are generally mild and rare. This is mainly because very little of the drug is absorbed from the intestine, which means there are no systemic side effects.
LD50 (rat, oral): > 2000 mg-kg-1
Markus Falkenstätter, BSc
Mag. pharm. Stefanie Lehenauer
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