BETA LACTAMASE INHIBITORS
• Beta lactamase are a family of enzymes produced by many gram positive and gram negative bacteria that inactivate beta lactam antibiotics by opening the beta lactam ring.
• Beta lactamase inhibitors are those which inhibit the beta lactamase enzyme.
• E.g. of Beta lactamase inhibitors are clavulanic acid, sulbactam and tazobactam.
• Beta lactamase inhibitors are themselves beta lactam compounds but no significant antibacterial activity.
• Beta lactamase inhibitors are not effective against beta lactamase produced by pseudomonas, enterobacter and MRSA(Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)
• Clavulanic acid obtained from Streptomyces clavuligerus.
• Clavulanic acid is a progressive inhibitor means binding with beta lactamase is reversible initially but becomes covalent later and then inhibition increasing the time.
• Clavulanic acid is also known as 'Suicide inhibitor' because it gets inactivated after binding to the enzyme.