Beta-Lactam Antibiotics

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Abstract
IT has been said that curing all cancers would add 2 years to the life expectancy of Americans but that the introduction of antibiotics added 10 years.1 The agent most responsible for this remarkable effect is penicillin, the prototypic beta-lactam antibiotic. The beta-lactam antibiotics include penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems. All have a beta-lactam ring, which is essential for antibacterial activity. In general, these agents have very favorable ratios of therapeutic to toxic effects, and the newer agents have enhanced antibacterial spectrums or favorable pharmacokinetic characteristics.Mechanism of ActionBeta-lactam antibiotics are bactericidal because they inhibit bacterial cell-wall synthesis. Their . . .