lactamase inhibitor?

[Tom A. Penfound]

In case no one has set the record straight... Clavulanic acid is a 
suicide inhibitor of many beta lactamases, (blocks the active site). It is 
produced by fermentation of _Streptomyces clavuligerus_.

On 24 Mar 1997, David L. Haviland, Ph.D. wrote:

> At 15:35 3/22/97 -0800, MR ROBERT G CHAPMAN wrote:
> >Does anyone know of a lactamase inhibitor called augmentin? It 
> >supposedly inhibits lactamase prolonging survival of ampicillin or 
> >analogs in culture. 
> 
> Hi:
> 
> Augmentin isn't a beta lacatamase inhibitor, per se.  Augmentin is
> amoxicillin with (spelling aside) clavulinic acid added (whether it is a
> second agent that is added or somehow linked to amoxicillin, I don't know).
>  The clavulinic acid alters the pH of the microenvironment such that the
> beta-lactamase is outside of its pH optimum - the lactamase is markedly
> less effective and the bacteria are inhibited in their growth (happily so!)
> by the amoxicillin.
> 
> Hope this helps,
> David
> 
> =============================
>  David L. Haviland, Ph.D.
>  Asst. Prof. Immunology 
>  University of Texas - Houston, H.S.C.
>  Institute of Molecular Medicine  
>  2121 W. Holcombe Blvd.  
>  Houston, TX  77030 
>  Internet:"dhavilan at imm2.imm.uth.tmc.edu" 
>  Voice: 713.500.2413  FAX: 713.500.2424
>  ------------------------------------------------------  
> " Sometimes you're the windsheild, sometimes you're the bug."
> =============================
> 
> 
>