Some bacteria produce beta lactamase enzyme, this enzyme will break the beta lactam ring structure of certain antibiotics (penicillin, cephalexin for example) rendering them ineffective against the infection. If you add a beta lactamase inhibitor to a beta lactam antibiotic (i.e clavulanaic acid added to amoxicillin) it decreases the potential of the bacteria to inactivate the antibiotic.
Clavulanic acid is a potent inhibitor of beta-lactamase enzymes. It is often combined with certain antibiotics like amoxicillin to enhance their effectiveness by protecting them from degradation by beta-lactamase enzymes.
The drug Augmentin, for example, contains a combination of amoxicillin and a betalactamase inhibitor, clavulanic acid.
A beta-lactamase is an enzyme produced by certain bacteria, which is responsible for their resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics.
Ampicillin class C beta lactamase
Co-amoxiclav is an approved British name for the combination antibiotic containing compounds such as amoxicillin trihydrate, a beta-lactam antibiotic, with potassium clavulanate, and a beta-lactamase inhibitor. The combination yields an antibiotic with an increased spectrum of action and restored efficacy against amoxicillin-resistant bacteria that produce beta-lactamase.
No. Unasyn is the trade name for the combination of two generic drugs: ampicillin (a beta-lactam) and sulbactam (a beta-lactamase inhibitor). Ceftriaxone is a generic drug in another class of antibiotics altogether (cephalosporins).
Beta-lactamase inhibitors, protect the penicillin from bacterial enzymes that may destroy it before it can do its work.
If you are wondering what is the name of a drug that contains amoxicillin - one would be Augmentin. This is made of amoxicillin and clavulanate. Clavulanate is what is referred to as a 'beta lactamase inhibitor' and this allows amoxicillin to be effective against drug-resistant bacteria that produce beta lactamase. Words ending in -ase are generally enzymes that are going to break something down. The penicillin family of antibiotics are called 'beta lactams' due to their structure. Some bacteria have developed beta lactamase in order to break down these antibiotics, thereby becoming a drug-resistant bacteria.
Beta-lactamase-positive bacteria produce an enzyme called beta-lactamase which can inactivate beta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, by breaking down the beta-lactam ring in the antibiotic molecule. This makes the bacteria resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics.
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Clavubactin M is the trade name of a veterinary formulation of clavulonic acid and amoxicillin; it is a penicillin-class drug combined with a beta-lactamase inhibitor that is intended for use in treating bacterial infections in companion animals.
Augmentin is a combination antibiotic that contains amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Amoxicillin works by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis, leading to cell lysis and death. Clavulanate potassium acts as a beta-lactamase inhibitor, protecting amoxicillin from degradation by certain bacteria that produce beta-lactamase enzymes, thereby enhancing the efficacy of the antibiotic against resistant strains. Together, they broaden the spectrum of activity against various bacterial infections.