Tobramycin
chemical compound
Tobramycin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic derived from Streptomyces tenebrarius that is used to treat various types of bacterial infections, particularly Gram-negative infections. It is especially effective against species of Pseudomonas.
It was patented in 1965, and approved for medical use in 1974. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. In 2023, it was the 298th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 400,000 prescriptions.
Medical uses
Tobramycin does not pass the gastro-intestinal tract, so for systemic use it can only be given intravenously or by injection into a muscle. Eye drops and ointments (tobramycin only, Tobrex, or combined with dexamethasone, sold as Tobradex) and nebulised formulations both have low systemic absorption. The formulation for injection is branded Nebcin. The nebulised formulation (brand name Tobi) is indicated in the treatment of exacerbations of chronic infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in people diagnosed with cystic fibrosis.
Tobramycin eye drops (with or without dexamethasone) are indicated in the treatment of superficial infections of the eye, such as bacterial conjunctivitis.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Tobramycin” is chemical compound. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Tobramycin, chemical and compound, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “chemical compound” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Dec 26, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q1758380. The Library of Congress control number is sh85135762. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1965, 1974 and 2023.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tobramycin”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tobramycin primary sources, Tobramycin archive and Tobramycin research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Tobramycin”?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Tobramycin” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.