Oxytetracycline: Antibiotics in the Treatment of Ocular Rosacea.

Available only on prescription, oxytetracycline is an antibiotic from the tetracycline family used to combat certain forms of rosacea, including ocular rosacea. This molecule is indeed capable of acting as a bacterial translation inhibitor. Oxytetracycline prevents the attachment of aminoacyl-tRNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex by binding to the 30S subunit of the ribosomes. In doing so, it halts the elongation phase of protein synthesis. By inhibiting the production of proteins by microorganisms, oxytetracycline prevents them from growing and multiplying, a useful property in the case of colonisation by Demodex.

Furthermore, oxytetracycline possesses a lipase-inhibiting action that allows it to inhibit bacterial lipases, enzymes secreted by certain bacteria that hydrolyse the triglycerides of meibum into fatty acids and glycerol. This, however, has a negative impact on the cornea of the eye. Indeed, meibum is a fatty substance composed mainly of triglycerides that serves to protect and hydrate the eyes. It can be compared to the sebum of the skin. By protecting the meibum from bacterial lipases, oxytetracycline ensures better hydration for the cornea, which helps to combat the dryness of the eyes induced by ocular rosacea.

The efficacy of cyclines in combating rosacea, and particularly ocular rosacea, has been attested in numerous studies. With regard to oxytetracycline specifically, there is also evidence of its value in the scientific literature, summarised in the table below.