Clavulanic acid

Clavulanic acid
Clinical data
Pronunciation	/ˌklævjʊˈlænɪk/
AHFS/Drugs.com	International Drug Names
Pregnancy; category	AU: B1; ;
Routes of; administration	Oral, IV
ATC code	J01CR (WHO) (combinations with penicillins);
Legal status
Legal status	AU: S4 (Prescription only); In general: ℞ (Prescription only);
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	"Well absorbed"
Metabolism	Hepatic (extensive)
Elimination half-life	1 hour
Excretion	Renal (30–40%)
Identifiers
	IUPAC name (2R,5R,Z)-3-(2-Hydroxyethylidene)-7-oxo-4-oxa-1-aza-bicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2-carboxylic acid;
CAS Number	58001-44-8 ;
PubChem CID	5280980;
DrugBank	DB00766 ;
ChemSpider	4444466 ;
UNII	23521W1S24;
KEGG	D07711 ;
ChEBI	CHEBI:48947 ;
ChEMBL	ChEMBL777 ;
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID2022830 ;
ECHA InfoCard	100.055.500
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C8H9NO5
Molar mass	199.162 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image;
	SMILES O=C2N1[C@H](C(/O[C@@H]1C2)=C/CO)C(=O)O;
	InChI InChI=1S/C8H9NO5/c10-2-1-4-7(8(12)13)9-5(11)3-6(9)14-4/h1,6-7,10H,2-3H2,(H,12,13)/b4-1-/t6-,7-/m1/s1 ; Key:HZZVJAQRINQKSD-PBFISZAISA-N ;
	(verify)

Clavulanic acid is a β-lactam drug that functions as a mechanism-based β-lactamase inhibitor. While not effective by itself as an antibiotic, when combined with penicillin-group antibiotics, it can overcome antibiotic resistance in bacteria that secrete β-lactamase, which otherwise inactivates most penicillins.

In its most common preparations, potassium clavulanate (clavulanic acid as a salt of potassium) is combined with:

amoxicillin (co-amoxiclav, trade names Augmentin, Clavulin, Tyclav, Clavaseptin (veterinary), Clavamox (veterinary), Synulox (veterinary), and others)
ticarcillin (co-ticarclav, trade name Timentin)

Clavulanic acid was patented in 1974.^[1]

^ Fischer J, Ganellin CR (2006). Analogue-based Drug Discovery. John Wiley & Sons. p. 490. ISBN 9783527607495.