kanamycin

[ kan-uh-mahy-sin ]

noun

, Pharmacology.

1. a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic, C 18 H 35 N 3 O 10 , isolated from the Japanese soil bacterium Streptomyces kanamyceticus and used in the treatment of infections, especially those caused by Gram-negative bacilli.

kanamycin

/ ˌkænəˈmaɪsɪn /

noun

1. an aminoglycoside antibiotic obtained from the soil bacterium Streptomyces kanamyceticus, used in the treatment of various infections, esp those caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Formula: C 18 H 36 N 4 O 11

Word History and Origins

Origin of kanamycin¹

First recorded in 1955–60; from New Latin kana(mycēticus), the specific epithet of the genus, equivalent to Japanese kana- “golden,” from kane “gold” (from the color of the bacterial colonies) + New Latin myc(ēticus) “pertaining to a mushroom” + English -in; streptomyces ( def ), myco- ( def ), -in ²( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of kanamycin¹

C20: from New Latin kanamyceticus

Example Sentences

Tisile eventually lost her hearing as a result of painful daily injections of kanamycin, an older TB medication.

From Scientific American

Her treatment now involved 13 different medications, including injections of kanamycin, which can cause permanent hearing loss and kidney impairment.

From Scientific American

In 1982, E. coli on the Soviet Salyut 7 space station increased its resistance to two types of antibiotics, colistin and kanamycin.

From Washington Post

Eight percent of those had “extensively drug resistant” TB, as defined by its resistance to four antibiotics: isoniazid, rifampin, ofloxacin and kanamycin.

From New York Times