Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Organic Chemicals > Amides > Lactams > Penicillins Terms and Definitions

Penicillins

Medical Definition:	A group of antibiotics that contain 6-aminopenicillanic acid with a side chain attached to the 6-amino group. The penicillin nucleus is the chief structural requirement for biological activity. The side-chain structure determines many of the antibacterial and pharmacological characteristics. (Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1065)
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Also Called:	Penicillin

Penicillins Categories.

	Amdinocillin - Amidinopenicillanic acid derivative with broad spectrum antibacterial action. It is poorly absorbed if given orally and is used in urinary infections and typhus.
	Cyclacillin - A cyclohexylamido analog of PENICILLANIC ACID.
	Methicillin - One of the PENICILLINS which is resistant to PENICILLINASE but susceptible to a penicillin-binding protein. It is inactivated by gastric acid so administered by injection.
	Nafcillin - A semi-synthetic antibiotic related to penicillin.
	Oxacillin - An antibiotic similar to FLUCLOXACILLIN used in resistant staphylococci infections.
	Penicillanic Acid - A building block of penicillin, devoid of significant antibacterial activity. (From Merck Index, 11th ed)
	>Penicillin G - A penicillin derivative commonly used in the form of its sodium or potassium salts in the treatment of a variety of infections. It is effective against most gram-positive bacteria and against gram-negative cocci. It has also been used as an experimental convulsant because of its actions on GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID mediated synaptic transmission.
	Penicillin V - A broad-spectrum penicillin antibiotic used orally in the treatment of mild to moderate infections by susceptible gram-positive organisms.
	Sulbactam - A beta-lactamase inhibitor with very weak antibacterial action. The compound prevents antibiotic destruction of beta-lactam antibiotics by inhibiting beta-lactamases, thus extending their spectrum activity. Combinations of sulbactam with beta-lactam antibiotics have been used successfully for the therapy of infections caused by organisms resistant to the antibiotic alone.
	Ticarcillin - An antibiotic derived from penicillin similar to CARBENICILLIN in action.

Penicillins Medical Definitions and Terms

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