229 articles
Alalevonadifloxacin
Alalevonadifloxacin (WCK 2349, EMROK O) is an oral L-alanine ester prodrug of the benzoquinolizine fluoroquinolone levonadifloxacin, approved in India in 2019 for ABSSSI including diabetic foot infection, with ~89-90% bioavailability and anti-MRSA activity.
Alatrofloxacin
Alatrofloxacin (Trovan IV) is the intravenous alanyl-alanyl prodrug of the fluoroquinolone trovafloxacin, approved in 1997-1998 and withdrawn in 1999 after 152 serious hepatic events, including 9 deaths or liver transplants.
Amdinocillin
Amdinocillin, also called mecillinam, is an amidinopenicillin antibiotic binding PBP2, active against Gram-negative bacteria; oral prodrug pivmecillinam (Selexid, Pivya) treats urinary tract infections.
Amdinocillin pivoxil
Amdinocillin pivoxil (pivmecillinam; Pivya, Selexid) is the oral prodrug of mecillinam, an amidinopenicillin targeting penicillin-binding protein-2, used for uncomplicated urinary tract infections; FDA-approved in the US in April 2024 at 185 mg three times daily.
Amikacin
Amikacin: semisynthetic aminoglycoside antibiotic derived from kanamycin A, prepared 1972 by Bristol-Myers, FDA-approved 1981. Binds 30S ribosomal subunit; IV/IM dosing with TDM; used for severe gram-negative and MDR-TB infections; ARIKAYCE inhaled form for MAC lung disease.
Aminoglycoside
Aminoglycosides (streptomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, plazomicin) are bactericidal antibiotics binding the 30S ribosome, active against aerobic gram-negative bacilli, inactive against anaerobes, dosed once daily with narrow toxicity margins.
Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin, a semisynthetic aminopenicillin (β-lactam) antibiotic developed by Beecham and US-approved in 1974, treats respiratory, ear, skin, and urinary infections and H. pylori; WHO Access-group, often paired with clavulanate as Augmentin.
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid
Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (Augmentin) is an oral penicillin plus beta-lactamase inhibitor combination, first launched in 1981, used for respiratory, skin, and urinary infections, and the only oral beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination.
Ampicillin
Ampicillin, an aminopenicillin (aminopenicillins, β-lactam antibiotic), is a semisynthetic penicillin from 6-APA that inhibits cell wall synthesis via PBPs; inactivated by β-lactamases, it treats enterococcal, Listeria, and susceptible gram-negative infections.
Antibiotic
Antibiotic: drugs that kill bacteria or stop their spread; ineffective against viruses. First was penicillin, discovered by Fleming in 1928; six main classes; resistance now affects 1 in 6 infections.
Antibiotic Prophylaxis
Antibiotic prophylaxis, also called antimicrobial or surgical prophylaxis, is preventive antibiotic use before procedures. Key facts: timed pre-incision dosing, single-dose courses, narrowed endocarditis indications.
Antiseptic
Antiseptics are antimicrobial agents applied to living tissue to prevent infection; key agents include chlorhexidine, alcohols, and povidone-iodine, pioneered by Lister's 1867 carbolic-acid antisepsis.
Antofloxacin
Antofloxacin (盐酸安妥沙星, trade name Upeng) is a Chinese-developed fluoroquinolone antibiotic, an 8-amino levofloxacin derivative inhibiting topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase; approved in China April 2009 with a 20-hour half-life and once-daily dosing.
Arsphenamine
Arsphenamine (Salvarsan, compound 606), an organoarsenic drug introduced by Ehrlich and Hata in 1910 as the first effective syphilis treatment and first modern chemotherapeutic agent, displaced by penicillin in the 1940s.
Avibactam
Avibactam (NXL104) is a diazabicyclooctane, non-beta-lactam beta-lactamase inhibitor with covalent reversible inhibition of class A, C, and some class D enzymes; approved 2015 with ceftazidime as AVYCAZ.
Azithromycin
Azithromycin (Zithromax, Sumamed) is a 15-membered azalide macrolide antibiotic synthesized at PLIVA in 1980, FDA-approved 1991; it binds 23S rRNA of the 50S ribosomal subunit and treats respiratory, STI, and enteric infections, with rising mph(A)-mediated resistance.
Azlocillin
Azlocillin (brand Azlin) is a discontinued semisynthetic ureidopenicillin, ATC J01CA09, approved 1982, given parenterally for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections; eight times as active as carbenicillin against Pseudomonas but inactivated by beta-lactamases.
Aztreonam
Aztreonam, the only approved monobactam antibiotic (Azactam, Cayston), targets aerobic Gram-negative bacteria including P. aeruginosa, resists metallo-beta-lactamases, and is paired with avibactam against MBL-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales.
Bacampicillin
Bacampicillin (Spectrobid) is an oral ester prodrug of ampicillin, hydrolyzed by intestinal esterases to ampicillin. It absorbs faster and more completely than ampicillin, allowing twice daily dosing; US product discontinued.
Bacitracin
Bacitracin is a cyclic polypeptide antibiotic from Bacillus subtilis/licheniformis that blocks undecaprenyl pyrophosphate recycling in Gram-positive cell wall synthesis; nephrotoxic, so used topically.
Bekanamycin
Bekanamycin (kanamycin B, kanendomycin) is an aminoglycoside antibiotic from Streptomyces kanamyceticus, marketed in Japan in 1969, ATC J01GB13, WHO AWaRe Watch group, roughly twice as active in vitro as kanamycin A.
Benzylpenicillin
Benzylpenicillin (penicillin G, penicillin II) is a beta-lactamase-sensitive injectable beta-lactam antibiotic, 600 mg = 1 million IU, first-choice with gentamicin for neonatal sepsis, facing global benzathine salt shortages.
Besifloxacin
Besifloxacin (Besivance) is a topical 8-chloro fluoroquinolone antibiotic, the first chlorofluoroquinolone made only for ophthalmic use, FDA approved in 2009 for bacterial conjunctivitis; it inhibits both DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV.
Broad-spectrum antibiotic
Broad-spectrum antibiotic: an antibacterial active against a wide range of bacteria, unlike narrow-spectrum drugs. Known for tetracyclines, microbiome disruption, resistance pressure, and de-escalation stewardship.
Cadazolid
Cadazolid (ACT-179811) is a first-in-class quinoxolidinone antibiotic, an oxazolidinone-fluoroquinolone hybrid developed by Actelion for Clostridium difficile infection; it inhibits protein synthesis but failed non-inferiority in one phase 3 IMPACT trial and was abandoned.
Capreomycin
Capreomycin (Capastat Sulfate), a cyclic polypeptide tuberactinomycin antibiotic from Streptomyces capreolus, was a second-line injectable for MDR-TB; meta-analyses showed worse outcomes, and WHO no longer recommends it.
Carbapenem
Carbapenems, also known as carbapenem antibiotics, are broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics derived from thienamycin, first introduced clinically as imipenem in 1985 and used for serious multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.
Carbenicillin indanyl
Carbenicillin indanyl (carindacillin, Geocillin) is the oral indanyl-ester prodrug of the penicillin carbenicillin, hydrolyzed after intestinal absorption; formerly marketed by Pfizer in the US, now discontinued there.
Carrimycin
Carrimycin (可利霉素, Bite, formerly bitespiramycin) is a Chinese 16-membered macrolide antibiotic made by synthetic biology, approved by NMPA on 24 June 2019 for respiratory infections.
Cefaclor anhydrous
Cefaclor anhydrous (Ceclor, Lilly 99638) is the water-free form of cefaclor, an oral second-generation cephalosporin antibiotic derived from cephalexin, FDA-approved in 1979, acting by inhibiting bacterial cell-wall synthesis.