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Beta-lactamase inhibitors

What are Beta-lactamase inhibitors?

Beta-lactamase inhibitors are a class of medicine that block the activity of beta-lactamase enzymes (also called beta-lactamases), preventing the degradation of beta-lactam antibiotics. They tend to have little antibiotic activity on their own.

Beta-lactamase enzymes are produced by certain strains of the following bacteria: Bacteroides species, Enterococcus species, Hemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Staphylococcus species, either constitutively or on exposure to antimicrobials.

Beta-lactamases cleave the beta-lactam ring of susceptible penicillins and cephalosporins, inactivating the antibiotic. Some antimicrobials (eg, cefazolin and cloxacillin) are naturally resistant to certain beta-lactamases. The activity of the beta-lactams: amoxicillin, ampicillin, piperacillin, and ticarcillin, can be restored and widened by combining them with a beta-lactamase inhibitor.

Clavulanic acid, sulbactam, and tazobactam are all beta-lactamase inhibitors.

List of Beta-lactamase inhibitors

View by  Brand | Generic
Drug Name Avg. Rating Reviews
Augmentin (Pro)
Generic name: amoxicillin / clavulanate
5.4
442 reviews
Zosyn (Pro)
Generic name: piperacillin / tazobactam
8.7
5 reviews
Augmentin XR (Pro)
Generic name: amoxicillin / clavulanate
7.8
4 reviews
Augmentin ES-600 (Pro)
Generic name: amoxicillin / clavulanate
5.0
3 reviews
Unasyn (Pro)
Generic name: ampicillin / sulbactam
8.0
2 reviews
Xacduro (Pro)
Generic name: durlobactam / sulbactam
No reviews
Timentin
Generic name: clavulanate / ticarcillin
No reviews
Amoclan (Pro)
Generic name: amoxicillin / clavulanate
No reviews
For ratings, users were asked how effective they found the medicine while considering positive/adverse effects and ease of use (1 = not effective, 10 = most effective).

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.