Ribostamycin sulfate is an aminoglycoside-aminocyclitol antibiotic isolated from a streptomycete. It is an important broad-spectrum antibiotic with important use against human immunodeficiency virus and is considered a critically important antimicrobial by the World Health Organization. Aminoglycosides work by binding to the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit (some work by binding to the 50S subunit), inhibiting the translocation of the peptidyl-tRNA from the A-site to the P-site and also causing misreading of mRNA, leaving the bacterium unable to synthesize proteins vital to its growth. Ribostamycin is usually used to treat sepsis, superficial skin infection, deep skin infection, lymphangitis/lymphadenitis, chronic pyoderma, osteomyelitis, pharyngitis/laryngitis, tonsillitis, acute bronchitis, pneumonia, pulmonary abscess, pyothorax, secondary infection in chronic respiratory lesions, cystitis, pyelonephritis, gonococcal infection, peritonitis, cholecystitis, dacryocystitis, keratitis (including corneal ulcer), otitis media, sinusitis and gnathitis. The most commonly reported adverse reactions include renal dysfunction, liver disorder and rash.