Gentamicin is a potent broad-spectrum aminoglycoside antibiotic widely used to treat serious bacterial infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria and certain Gram-positive organisms, including sepsis, complicated urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, intra-abdominal infections, and multidrug-resistant infections. It works by binding to the 30S subunit of bacterial ribosomes, disrupting protein synthesis, and leading to bacterial cell death, which gives it rapid bactericidal activity and broad coverage, making it a cornerstone in hospital-based therapy, especially for critically ill patients. First isolated in the early 1960s from Micromonospora species, soil-dwelling actinomycetes known for producing bioactive compounds, gentamicin emerged during a time of growing concern over antibiotic resistance and quickly became a vital therapeutic option for infections resistant to earlier aminoglycosides like streptomycin and kanamycin. Over decades of clinical use, it has maintained its importance due to its proven efficacy and reliability, although careful monitoring is required because of potential nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, as well as dose adjustments in patients with impaired kidney function, making it a critical tool in modern antimicrobial therapy and an enduring example of successful antibiotic development.
