Ciprofloxacin (often called 'cipro' in short) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic (pronounced flue-or-oh-quinn-oh-lone), meaning it contains a ‘quinolone’ scaffold and a fluorine atom. Chemical names can be very tricky!

If you think this was difficult, have a look at this: the correct chemical name of ciprofloxacin is 1-cyclopropyl-6-fluoro-4-oxo-7-(piperazin-1-yl)-quinoline-3-carboxylic acid!

Ciprofloxacin was introduced in 1987 and quickly became one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics. But numerous pathogens now exhibit resistance, in part as a result of widespread veterinary usage of fluoroquinolones. 

Common side effects of ciprofloxacin treatment may include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, but in rarer cases also nerve damage and hallucinations!