@article{18437,
  keywords = {Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination, Ampicillin, Animals, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Clavulanic Acids, Drug Therapy, Combination, Mice, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Mycobacterium, Penicillanic Acid, Piperacillin, Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination, Sulbactam, beta-Lactamase Inhibitors},
  author = {Prabhakaran K and Harris E B and Randhawa B and Adams L B and Williams D L and Hastings R C},
  title = {Use of beta-lactam/beta-lactamase-inhibitor combinations as antimycobacterial agents.},
  abstract = {<p>Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae develop resistance against the drugs used to treat tuberculosis and leprosy, respectively. Now multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is spreading in many countries, especially with the emergence of AIDS. Multidrug treatment is being promoted at present to eradicate leprosy. Since M. leprae may also become multidrug-resistant, new approaches have to be adopted for controlling mycobacterial diseases. Mycobacteria usually synthesize beta-lactamase and are insensitive to beta-lactam antibiotics. M. tuberculosis contains a constitutive beta-lactamase; de-repression of beta-lactamase has been reported in M. leprae. Three different beta-lactam/beta-lactamase-inhibitor combinations (ampicillin/sulbactam, amoxicillin/clavulanate and piperacillin/tazobactam) were used to suppress the growth of several strains of mycobacteria (including M. tuberculosis H37Rv) in vitro. Ampicillin/sulbactam is a potent bactericidal agent against M. leprae multiplying in mouse foot pads. In the present work, ampicillin/sulbactam showed higher activity than the other drug combinations. The beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors are likely to be effective as rational therapeutic agents against mycobacterial infections.</p>},
  year = {1993},
  journal = {Microbios},
  volume = {76},
  pages = {251-61},
  month = {1993},
  issn = {0026-2633},
  language = {eng},
}