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What Is the Difference between Tetracycline and Doxycycline?

Sandi Johnson
Sandi Johnson

Tetracycline and doxycycline are part of a class of broad spectrum antibiotics known as tetracycline antibiotics. All antibiotics in this class of medications are derived from the same basic four-hydrocarbon ring structure. Each medication, however, is slightly different in terms of exact ring structure, recommended uses, pharmacokinetics, and documented bacterial resistance. Doctors prescribe both of these medications for many of the same infections, but each medication has been proven more effective than the other in certain applications.

The primary difference between tetracycline and doxycycline lies in the pharmacokinetics of each medication. Pharmacokinetics is simply how the body responds to or acts on certain drugs. This includes how the body distributes the drug, metabolizes it, and eventually eliminates it. To illustrate, tetracycline becomes metabolically concentrated in different body tissues thatn doxycycline. Doxycycline, for example, reaches the highest metabolic concentration in the eyes, whereas tetracycline concentrates primarily in body fluids.

It might be OK to take doxycycline, but not tetracycline, with diary products or other food.
It might be OK to take doxycycline, but not tetracycline, with diary products or other food.

Since tetracycline and doxycycline concentrate in different tissues, one medication might be better at fighting infections in a particular area of the body than another medication. Such differences account for both similar and varying clinical or recommended uses. Bacterial infections such as chlamydia, Lyme disease, and anthrax benefit from treatment with either tetracycline or doxycycline. As a prophylactic, or prevention against the spread of contagious bacterial infections like malaria and bubonic plague, doxycycline is typically more effective. Certain travelers are often prescribed doxycycline prior to traveling to areas known for malaria infections.

Doxycycline is often given to travelers going to areas where malaria is a threat.
Doxycycline is often given to travelers going to areas where malaria is a threat.

Drug administration recommendations, such as taking with or without food, water, dairy products, and other precautions, are directly related to pharmacokinetics. Administration precautions illustrate another difference between tetracycline and doxycycline. Specifically, antibiotics are known to bind with food and minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and iron. Accordingly, patients are often advised to avoid combining certain foods or supplements with antibiotics to encourage better absorption.

Tetracycline is considered a naturally occurring compound, whereas doxycycline is a semi-synthetic.
Tetracycline is considered a naturally occurring compound, whereas doxycycline is a semi-synthetic.

Patients are typically advised not to take tetracycline with food, dairy, iron supplements, or antacids. Alternatively, patients taking doxycycline are permitted to take the medication with food, as it does not bind to proteins in food as readily. Precautions such as avoiding iron or calcium supplements, dairy products, or antacids remain the same for both medications.

Doxycycline can be used to treat acne.
Doxycycline can be used to treat acne.

In terms of discovery and use, tetracycline was introduced before doxycycline. First derived from the Streptomyces aureofaciens bacteria, tetracycline is considered a naturally occurring compound. By contrast, doxycyline is considered a semi-synthetic antibiotic. Researchers, in response to increasing resistance of certain bacteria to antibiotics, synthesized specific changes in the ring structure of other tetracycline antibiotics to develop doxycycline. Comparing tetracycline and doxycycline, doxycycline has shown to be more effective against resistant strains of certain bacterial infections.

Discussion Comments

anon353435

My doctor says doxycycline is best for acne.

fBoyle

Doxycycline is basically the newer version of tetracycline. They can be substituted for one another in most cases, for things like skin and sinus infections. But they're not good for everything. I couldn't take either for a yeast infection for example.

bear78

@turquoise-- I'm not a doctor and it's probably best to get advice from your doctor rather than online. In my opinion, I doubt that one is better than the other for acne because both tetracycline and doxycycline are in the same antibiotic group. I have heard that tetracycline is stronger than doxycycline but I don't think that a very strong antibiotic is required of acne anyway. Moreover, they can cause some of the same side effects.

That being said, everyone responds to antibiotics differently. So you may have better results with one of these but it's up to your doctor to decide which one you should take for your acne.

turquoise

Which of these is better for the treatment of acne?

I know that my doctor is going to recommend antibiotics for my acne at my next visit. I want to make sure that I will be getting the right one.

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    • It might be OK to take doxycycline, but not tetracycline, with diary products or other food.
      By: javiercorrea15
      It might be OK to take doxycycline, but not tetracycline, with diary products or other food.
    • Doxycycline is often given to travelers going to areas where malaria is a threat.
      By: Dmitry Knorre
      Doxycycline is often given to travelers going to areas where malaria is a threat.
    • Tetracycline is considered a naturally occurring compound, whereas doxycycline is a semi-synthetic.
      By: robert lerich
      Tetracycline is considered a naturally occurring compound, whereas doxycycline is a semi-synthetic.
    • Doxycycline can be used to treat acne.
      By: badmanproduction
      Doxycycline can be used to treat acne.
    • Doxycycline has proven to be effective against resistant strains of bacterial infections.
      By: Nik_Merkulov
      Doxycycline has proven to be effective against resistant strains of bacterial infections.