Synonym | (2R,3S,4R,5R,8R,10R,11R,12S,13S,14R)-11-[(2S,3R,4S,6R)-4-(dimethylamino)-3-hydroxy-6 methyloxan-2-yl]oxy-2-ethyl-3,4,10-trihydroxy-13-[(2R,4R,5S,6S)-5-hydroxy-4-methoxy-4,6 dimethyloxan-2-yl]oxy-3,5,6,8,10,12,14-heptamethyl-1-oxa-6-azacyclopentadecan-15-one; Zithromax; Azithromycine; Azithromycinum; Azitrocin |
Biochem/Physiol Actions | Azithromycin, a semisynthetic antibiotic belonging to the macrolide subgroup of azalides, is used to treat STDs due to chlamydia and gonorrhea, community-acquired pneumonia, pelvic inflammatory disease, pediatric otitis media and pharyngitis, and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) in patients with advanced HIV disease. Similar in structure to erythromycin. azithromycin reaches higher intracellular concentrations than erythromycin, increasing its efficacy and duration of action. Azithromycin is an azalide, derived from erythromycin, and a member of a subclass of macrolide antibiotics with bacteriocidal and bacteriostatic activities. Azithromycin reversibly binds to the 50S ribosomal subunit of the 70S ribosome of sensitive microorganisms, thereby inhibiting the translocation step of protein synthesis, wherein a newly synthesized peptidyl tRNA molecule moves from the acceptor site on the ribosome to the peptidyl (donor) site, and consequently inhibiting RNA-dependent protein synthesis leading to cell growth inhibition and cell death. |
