Carbenicillin
Encyclopedia
Carbenicillin is a bacteriolytic antibiotic
belonging to the carboxypenicillin
subgroup of the penicillin
s. It was discovered by scientists at Beecham
and marketed as Pyopen. It has Gram-negative
coverage which includes Pseudomonas aeruginosa
but limited Gram-positive
coverage. The carboxypenicillins are susceptible to degradation by beta-lactamase
enzymes, although they are more resistant than ampicillin
to degradation. Carbenicillin is also more stable at lower pH than ampicillin.
The antibiotic is very soluble in water and is acid-labile. Aqueous solutions are short-lived. Working concentration in the lab: up to 100 µg per ml.
It is a semi-synthetic analogue of the naturally occurring benzyl-penicillin.
In molecular biology
, carbenicillin may be preferred as a selecting agent (see Plasmid stabilisation technology) because its breakdown results in byproducts with a lower toxicity than analogous antibiotics like ampicillin
. Carbenicillin is more stable than ampicillin and results in less satellite colonies on selection plates. However, in most situations this is not a significant problem so ampicillin
is sometimes used due to its lower cost.
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
belonging to the carboxypenicillin
Carboxypenicillin
The carboxypenicillins are a group of antibiotics. They belong to the penicillin family and comprise the members carbenicillin and ticarcillin.- Chemical structure :...
subgroup of the penicillin
Penicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
s. It was discovered by scientists at Beecham
Beecham (pharmaceutical company)
Beecham was a British pharmaceutical company. It was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Beecham, after having merged with SmithKline Beckman, merged with GlaxoWellcome to become GlaxoSmithKline .-History:...
and marketed as Pyopen. It has Gram-negative
Gram-negative
Gram-negative bacteria are bacteria that do not retain crystal violet dye in the Gram staining protocol. In a Gram stain test, a counterstain is added after the crystal violet, coloring all Gram-negative bacteria with a red or pink color...
coverage which includes Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common bacterium that can cause disease in animals, including humans. It is found in soil, water, skin flora, and most man-made environments throughout the world. It thrives not only in normal atmospheres, but also in hypoxic atmospheres, and has, thus, colonized many...
but limited Gram-positive
Gram-positive
Gram-positive bacteria are those that are stained dark blue or violet by Gram staining. This is in contrast to Gram-negative bacteria, which cannot retain the crystal violet stain, instead taking up the counterstain and appearing red or pink...
coverage. The carboxypenicillins are susceptible to degradation by beta-lactamase
Beta-lactamase
Beta-lactamases are enzymes produced by some bacteria and are responsible for their resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics like penicillins, cephamycins, and carbapenems . These antibiotics have a common element in their molecular structure: a four-atom ring known as a beta-lactam...
enzymes, although they are more resistant than ampicillin
Ampicillin
Ampicillin is a beta-lactam antibiotic that has been used extensively to treat bacterial infections since 1961. Until the introduction of ampicillin by the British company Beecham, penicillin therapies had only been effective against Gram-positive organisms such as staphylococci and streptococci...
to degradation. Carbenicillin is also more stable at lower pH than ampicillin.
The antibiotic is very soluble in water and is acid-labile. Aqueous solutions are short-lived. Working concentration in the lab: up to 100 µg per ml.
It is a semi-synthetic analogue of the naturally occurring benzyl-penicillin.
In molecular biology
Molecular biology
Molecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry...
, carbenicillin may be preferred as a selecting agent (see Plasmid stabilisation technology) because its breakdown results in byproducts with a lower toxicity than analogous antibiotics like ampicillin
Ampicillin
Ampicillin is a beta-lactam antibiotic that has been used extensively to treat bacterial infections since 1961. Until the introduction of ampicillin by the British company Beecham, penicillin therapies had only been effective against Gram-positive organisms such as staphylococci and streptococci...
. Carbenicillin is more stable than ampicillin and results in less satellite colonies on selection plates. However, in most situations this is not a significant problem so ampicillin
Ampicillin
Ampicillin is a beta-lactam antibiotic that has been used extensively to treat bacterial infections since 1961. Until the introduction of ampicillin by the British company Beecham, penicillin therapies had only been effective against Gram-positive organisms such as staphylococci and streptococci...
is sometimes used due to its lower cost.