Nifuroxazide


Nifuroxazide is an oral nitrofuran antibiotic, patented since 1966 and used to treat colitis and diarrhoea in humans and non-humans. It is sold under the brand names Ambatrol, Antinal, Bacifurane, Diafuryl, Pérabacticel, Antinal, Diax, Nifrozid, Ercefuryl, Erfuzide, Endiex, Enterofuryl, Pentofuryl, Topron, Enterovid, Eskapar, Enterocolin,TERRACOLIN 100Mg./200Mg., Apazid, Nifural and Septidiaryl. It is sold in capsule form and also as a suspension. A 2016 clinical trial showed Nifuroxazide to be more effective compared to probiotics in treating acute diarrhea in adults.

History

Maurice Claude Ernest Carron patented the drug in the United States in 1966. Subsequent patents issued to Germano Cagliero of Marxer S.p.A describe the use of nifuroxazide as an antibiotic used to treat livestock.

Effectiveness in humans

In 1997, in an Ivory Coast promotional leaflet, GlaxoSmithKline claimed that nifuroxazide is an anti-dehydration treatment, "neutralise microbacterials" in diarrhoea, and has "a spectrum which covers most enteropathogenic microbacterials, Shigella, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococci, Klebsiella, Yersinia". The international non-profit organization Healthy Skepticism, at the time using their former name, Medical Lobby for Appropriate Marketing, disagreed, stating "We have not found any scientific evidence to support these claims." A 2016 clinical trial showed Nifuroxazide to treat diarrhea in an average of 2 days compared to 5 days with probiotics.