Cilastatin is a chemical compound which inhibits the human

Human

Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...

 enzyme

Enzyme

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...

 dehydropeptidase.

Dehydropeptidase is found in the kidney

Kidney

The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...

 and is responsible for degrading the antibiotic

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...

 imipenem

Imipenem

Imipenem is an intravenous β-lactam antibiotic developed in 1980. It has an extremely broad spectrum of activity.Imipenem belongs to the subgroup of carbapenems. It is derived from a compound called thienamycin, which is produced by the bacterium Streptomyces cattleya...

. Cilastatin is therefore combined intravenously with imipenem in order to protect it from dehydropeptidase and prolong its antibacterial effect. However, cilastatin itself does not have antibiotic activity.

Another carbapenem

Carbapenem

Carbapenems are a class of β-lactam antibiotics with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. They have a structure that renders them highly resistant to most β-lactamases...

, meropenem

Meropenem

Meropenem is an ultra-broad spectrum injectable antibiotic used to treat a wide variety of infections, including meningitis and pneumonia. It is a beta-lactam and belongs to the subgroup of carbapenem, similar to imipenem and ertapenem. Meropenem was originally developed by Sumitomo Pharmaceuticals...

is resistant to dehydropeptidase; therefore, it can be given without cilastatin.