Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic used to treat and prevent a variety of bacterial infections. Erythromycin is a bacteriostatic antibiotic drug produced by a strain of Saccharopolyspora erythraea (formerly Streptomyces erythraeus) and belongs to the macrolide group of antibiotics which consists of Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Spiramycin and others.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 6 references
In order to replicate, bacteria require a specific process of protein synthesis, enabled by ribosomal proteins. Erythromycin acts by inhibition of protein synthesis by binding to the 23S ribosomal RNA molecule in the 50S subunit of ribosomes in susceptible bacterial organisms. It stops bacterial protein synthesis by inhibiting the transpeptidation/translocation step of protein synthesis and by inhibiting the assembly of the 50S ribosomal subunit. This results in the control of various bacterial infections. The strong affinity of macrolides, including erythromycin, for bacterial ribosomes, supports their broad‐spectrum antibacterial activities.
- Primary indication
- Erythromycin is indicated in the treatment of infections caused by susceptible strains of various bacteria.Curator reviewed · 45 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C37H67NO13 · 733.9268 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 1997 · United States, 1964
- Also known as
- Abomacetin · Erythromycin A · Erythromycin C
- Code names
- NSC-55929
- Brand names
Resolves to
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Which drugs share a target with Erythromycin, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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