Currently, there are 10 drugs approv Drugs are made with European / American population in mind by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating tuberculosis . In addition, the fluoroquinolones, although not approved by the FDA for tuberculosis, are used relatively commonly to treat tuberculosis caused by drug-resistant organisms or for patients who are intolerant of some of the first-line drugs. Rifabutin, approved for use in preventing Mycobacterium avium complex disease in patients with HIV infection but not approved for tuberculosis, is useful for treating tuberculosis in patients concurrently taking drugs that have unacceptable interactions with other Rifamycin, Amikacin and kanamycin, nearly identical amino glycoside drugs used in treating patients with tuberculosis caused by drug-resistant organisms, are not approved by the FDA for tuberculosis.

Of the approved drugs isoniazid (INH), Rifampin (RIF), Ethambutol (EMB), and Pyrazinamide (PZA) are considered first-line antituberculosis agents and form the core of initial treatment regimens. Rifabutin and Rifapentine may also be considered first-line agents under the specific situations described below. Streptomycin (SM) was formerly considered to be a first-line agent and, in some instances, is still used in initial treatment; however, an increasing prevalence of resistance to SM in many parts of the world has decreased its overall usefulness. The remaining drugs are reserved for special situations such as drug intolerance or resistance.

First-Line Drugs

1. Isoniazid

2. Rifampin

3. Rifabutin see more information regarding Rifamycine drug interactions web site http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/.

4. Rifapentine

5. Pyrazinamide

Second-Line Drugs

1. Cycloserine

2. Ethionamide

3. Streptomycin

4. Amikacin and kanamycin

5. Capreomycin

6. p-Amino salicylic acid

7. Fluoroquinolones