Table 1 History of colistin

1947

Discovery of polymyxins from bacteria Paenibacillus polymyxa

1949

Colistin (polymyxin E) was first time isolated from Bacillus polymyxa var. colistinus by Koyama Y. and colleagues in Japan

1959

Colistin became available in intravenous formulation (as colistimethate sodium) for clinical uses

1960s–1970s

Colistin used for gram-negative infection; later on, uses decline due to its toxicities

1990s–2000s

Used mainly for lung infection due to MDR gram-negative pathogens in patients with cystic fibrosis

2000 onwards

Currently in use to treat healthcare-associated MDR gram-negative infection