What is "taurolidine"

n. A drug derived from taurine, with antimicrobial and antilipopolysaccharide properties.

Taurolidine: 4,4'-Methylenebis (1,2,4-thiadiazinane)-1,1,1',1'-tetraoxide) is an antimicrobial that is used to try to prevent infections in catheters. Side effects and the induction of bacterial resistance is uncommon. It is also being studied as a treatment for cancer.

It is derived from the endogenous amino acid taurine. Taurolidine’s putative mechanism of action is based on a chemical reaction. During the metabolism of taurolidine to taurinamide and ultimately taurine and water, methylol groups are liberated that chemically react with the mureins in the bacterial cell wall and with the amino and hydroxyl groups of endotoxins and exotoxins. This results in denaturing of the complex polysaccharide and lipopolysaccharide components of the bacterial cell wall and of the endotoxin and in the inactivation of susceptible exotoxins.