Difference Between Doxycycline and Tetracycline

The key difference between doxycycline and tetracycline is that doxycycline is absorbed faster by the body, and we can see the peak of serum concentration more quickly compared to tetracycline.

Both doxycycline and tetracycline are antibiotic drugs. These are important in fighting bacterial infections in our body. Doxycycline is also a type of tetracycline, but compared to the usual drug, it is absorbed better by the body.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Doxycycline
3. What is Tetracycline
4. Side by Side Comparison – Doxycycline vs Tetracycline in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Doxycycline?

Doxycycline is a type of tetracycline antibiotic which can fight bacteria in our body. Many different bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections, intestinal infections, respiratory system infections, eye infections, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, etc. can be treated using this drug. Sometimes, it can also be used to treat malaria, anthrax, infections caused by mites, ticks, and lice as well.

There are some important considerations regarding this medication. If someone is allergic to tetracycline antibiotics, he or she mustn’t take this drug. Also, children under age 8 should not take this drug unless it is essential because this drug can cause permanent yellowing in the teeth of children. As general information, using this drug during pregnancy can cause disorders in the unborn baby.

Along with its desired effects, sometimes doxycycline can cause side effects such as blistering of the skin, bloating, chills, clay-coloured stool, constipation, cough, dark coloured urine, and decreased apatite.

What is Tetracycline?

Tetracycline is an antibiotic that can act against bacteria in our body. This drug can act on many different surfaces to treat disorders caused by bacteria; e.g. skin, intestines, respiratory tract, urinary tract, genitals, lymph nodes, etc. Moreover, it is occasionally used in treating acne, sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia. Apart from that, this drug can treat infections we get directly from contaminated animals or food. In addition to that, it is used when other antibiotics such as penicillin cannot be used.

There are some important considerations regarding this drug. Children aged below eight should not take this drug. Also, using this drug during pregnancy can cause harmful effects on the unborn baby or permanent tooth discolouration after the baby is born.

There are some side effects associated with tetracycline. More commonly, it can cause increased sensitivity of the skin towards the sunlight. Occasionally, this drug can cause abdominal pain, bulging fontanel, headache, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

What is the Difference Between Doxycycline and Tetracycline?

Both doxycycline and tetracycline are antibiotics that can act against bacterial infections in our body. The key difference between doxycycline and tetracycline is that doxycycline is absorbed faster by the body, and we can see the peak of serum concentration quickly compared to tetracycline. Besides, doxycycline can act against different bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections, intestinal infections, respiratory system infections, eye infections, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, syphilis, etc. Tetracycline, on the other hand, can act on different infections caused by bacteria; e.g. on the skin, intestines, respiratory tract, urinary tract, genitals, lymph nodes, etc.

The following table summarizes the difference between doxycycline and tetracycline.

Summary – Doxycycline vs Tetracycline

Doxycycline and tetracycline are two antibiotics that can act against bacterial infections in our body. The key difference between doxycycline and tetracycline is that doxycycline is absorbed faster by the body, and we can see the peak of serum concentration quickly compared to tetracycline.

Reference:

1. “Doxycycline Side Effects: Common, Severe, Long Term.” Drugs.com, Available here.
2. “Tetracycline (Antibiotics) Uses, Dosage, Side Effects.” Drugs.com, Available here.
3. “Tetracycline.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Apr. 2020, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Doxycycline 100mg capsules” By Myself (Shorelander) – Own work (CC BY 2.5) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Tetracycline skeletal” By Vaccinationist – Own work, based on PubChem (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia