Beta-lactam
|
Penicillin nucleus. Beta lactam is the square at the center. |
A
beta-lactam ring (
β-lactam) or
penam is a
lactam with a
heteroatomic ring structure, consisting of three
carbon atoms and one
nitrogen atom. The beta-lactam ring is part of several
antibiotics, such as
penicillin, which are therefore also called
beta-lactam antibiotics. These antibiotics work by inhibiting the bacterial
cell wall synthesis. This has a lethal effect on
bacteria, especially on
Gram-positive ones. Bacteria can become
resistant against beta-lactam antibiotics by expressing
beta-lactamase.
Because of the popularity of beta lactam drugs, certain bacteria have been able to develop counter-measures to traditional drug therapies. An enzyme called
beta-lactamase is present in many different types of bacteria, which serves to 'break' the beta lactamase ring, which effectively nullifies the antiobiotic's effectiveness.
As a response to bacterial resistance to beta lactam drugs, there are drugs, such as
Augmentin, which are designed to disable the
beta-lactamase enzyme.
Augmentin is made of
amoxicillin and
clavulanic acid, both of which are beta lactam antibiotics. The clavulanic acid is designed to overwhelm all
beta-lactamase enzymes, bind irreversibly to them, and effectively serve as an
antagonist so that the amoxicillin is not affected by the
beta-lactamase enzymes.
*
Beta-lactam antibiotic*
Beta-lactamase*
ATC code J01#J01C Beta-lactam antibacterials.2C penicillins
