Pharmacology of Penicllins (Beta lactam antibiotics), description of their mechanism of action, mechanism of resistance, classification, indications and adverse effects
3. History of penicillins
• 1928 - Alexander Fleming
– Bread mold (Penicillium notatum) growing on petri dish
• 1939 - Florey, Chain, and Associates
– Began work on isolating and synthesizing large amounts of
Penicillin.
• 1944 - Used in WWII to treat infections
• Late 1940’s - available for general use in US
4. Site of penicillinase action.
Breakage of the lactam ring.
STRUCTURE OF PENICILLIN
C NH CH CH C
O
O C N CH
CH3
CH3
COOH
S
AB
9. Mechanism of action
Penicillins
Bind & inactivate PBP on cell wall of susceptible bacteria
Inhibit transpeptidase
Autolysis & cell death
Prevent peptidoglycan synthesis
Cell wall deficient forms
10. Mechanism of bacterial resistance
• Beta lactamases hydrolyse & inactivate β-lactum ring
• Altered PBP
• ↓ penetration of drug to its site of action
• Activation of efflux mechanisms
16. Pharmacokinetics
• Acid labile hence given IM/IV
• Duration of action:4-6 hrs, Elimination t½ = 30 min
• Excreted 80 -85% tubular secretion & 10-15%
glomerular filtration
• Always prepare fresh solution
• Renal failure prolongs half life of penicillins
• Nafcillin,cloxacillin, dicloxacillin excreted by biliary
route
17. Repository preparations of Penicillin G
• Procaine penicillin G:
– DOA = 12-24 hrs
– Moderate plasma concentration
– Used in mild to moderate infections
– Less painful injection
• Benzathine penicillin G:
– DOA= 3-4 weeks
– Slow onset but longest DOA
– Used in syphilis , rheumatic fever prophylaxis
18. Therapeutic uses of Penicillin G
• Streptococcal infections
– Pharyngitis, sinusitis, otitis, rheumatic fever
– Procaine penicillin G : 6 lac units IM OD
• Pneumococcal infections
– Pneumococcal pneumonia, meningitis
• Meningococcal meningitis:
– IV penicillin G, Not for prophylaxis
19. Therapeutic uses of Penicillin G
• Gonococcal infections: Unreliable now
• Syphilis
• Leptospirosis
• Diptheria
• Clostridial infections: Tetanus & gas gangrene
• Anthrax: Benzyl penicillin DOC 8-10 days
• listeria, trench mouth
• Actinomycosis:
20. Prophylactic uses
• Rheumatic fever
– Benzathine penicillin 1.2 million units IM every 4
weeks
• Bacterial endocarditis
– Valvular lesion patients before surgery
– Should be given 1 hr before the surgery
21. Adverse effects of Penicillins
• Local irritation and direct toxicity
– IV penicillin G : thrombophlebitis
– Procaine penicillin G: anxiety seizures
– Intrathecal penicillin G: arachidonitis, convulsions
• Hypersensitivity reactions
• Jarisch herxheimer reaction
22. Precautions with penicillin
• Always take history of allergies & drug therapy
• Perform skin sensitivity test before
administering penicillin G & its preparations
– 0.02 ml of penicillin G
– Drop of 10000 units on skin
– 0.05 ml penicilloyl polylysine
• Keep adrenaline ready in emergency tray
23. Semisynthetic penicillins
Penicillin Use
Penicillin V: Mild streptococcal &
pneumococcal infections
Oxacillin
Cloxacillin
Staph aureus, staph epidermidis
Ampicillin
Amoxicillin
Spectrum extended to Gm(-) bacilli
Carbenicillin UTI by pseudomonas
Mezlocillin
piperacillin
Pseudomonas , klebsiella infections
24. Penicillin V
• Acid stable, oral absorption is better
• Used only for mild to moderate infections
– Streptococcal pharyngitis, sinusitis, otitis media
– Prophylaxis of rheumatic fever
– Less serious pneumococcal infections, trench
mouth
• Dose: 250 to 500 mg 6 hrly
25. Penicillinase resistant penicillins
• Resistant to staphylococcal penicillinase
• Their only indication is infections caused by
penicillinase producing staphylococci (DOC)
• These drugs are not resistant to Gm (-) β-lactamases
• Methicillin: not used now
– Hematuria, albuminuria, reversible interstitial nephritis
• These drugs are not effective in MRSA infection
26. Cloxacillin
• Highly penicillinase as well as acid resistant
• Incomplete but dependable absorption from
oral route
• > 90% protein bound
• Eliminated by kidneys also partly by liver
• Dose: 250 – 500 mg QID , in severe infections
can be given IM /IV
27. Aminopenicillins
• Extended spectrum penicillins
• Spectrum of action:
– Like penicillin G in addition some Gm(-) bacilli like
H.influenzae, E.coli, Shigella, salmonella, proteus
– More active for streptococcus viridans &
enterococci
28. Ampicillin & Amoxycillin
Ampicillin Amoxycillin
Incompletely absorbed
from GIT
Completely absorbed
Diarrhoea more common Less common
Food ↓ absorption No effect
Enterohepatic circulation No
Effective against shigella
and H. Influenza
Less effective
Dose = 250-500 mg QID 250 -500 mg TDS
29. Uses of aminopenicillins
• Upper respiratory tract infections:
• Urinary tract infections:
• Meningococcal Meningitis
• Shigellosis: Ampicillin
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis:
• Ampicillin 2 gm IV 6 Hrly in place of penicillin G
• Typhoid fever
• Cholecystitis: Ampicillin
30. Antipseudomonal penicillins
• Carbenicillin:
– Higher doses can cause fluid retention, CCF & can
interfere with platelet function
• Piperacillin
– 8 times more active than carbenicillin
– Good activity against klebsiella
– Uses:
• Neutropenic, immunocompromised patients having
serious Gm(-) infections and burns, septicemia
31. Reverse spectrum penicillins
• Mecillinam , pivmecillinam
• More stable to β-lactamases degeneration
than ampicillin
• Acid stable but poorly absorbed
• Act by inhibiting PBP-2, prevent cell
elongation causing spherical forms
• Reverse spectrum?
– Mainly effective against Gm(-) bacilli- E.coli.
Enterobacter, salmonella, klebsiella
33. Clavulinic acid
• Isolated from Streptomyces clavuligerus
• Inhibits β lactamases produced by variety of Gm(+) &
Gm(-) bacteria
• Rapid oral absorption, 60 % bioavailable
• Elimination half life & tissue distribution matches
with amoxycillin
• Use: infections caused by β lactamase producing
strains of S.aureus, E.coli, H.influenzae, proteus
34.
35. Sulbactum
• Semisynthetic β-lactamase inhibitor
• 2-3 times less potent than clavulanic acid
• Oral absorption inconsistent
• Uses:
– PPNG gonorrhoea
– Mixed aerobic-anaerobic infections
• Combined with ampicillin for IV/IM
administration
36. Tazobactum
• More potent than sulbactum
• Pharmacokinetics matches with piperacillin
• Available in combination with piperacillin
• Uses:
– Severe infection like peritonitis, , pelvic, urinary,
respiratory infections caused by β-lactamase
producing bacteria
Notes de l'éditeur
Chemotherapeutic agents - are chemical
substances used for therapeutic purposes.
•Implies chemical synthesized or modified
by chemists.
•Antibiotics – are metabolic products of a
microorganism.
•Antibiotic = Greek -- “against life”.
Beta lactum antibiotics are group of antibiotics having beta lactum ring in their structure , they share common structure and mechanism of action.
1928 – St Mary hospital, studying staphylococcus variants , sir alexander fleming observed that in a culture plate contaminted with a fungus penicillium , the growth of bacteria was inhibited
The first marketable penicillin cost several dollars per lac units , now costs few cents
Previously was obtained from penicillium notatum now a days obtained from penicillium chrysogenum
The name Penicillium comes from penicillus = brush, and this is based on the brush-like appearance of the fruiting structures
Sulfur containing thiazolidine ring A fused with Beta lactum ring to which side chains are attached through amide linkage penicillin G is original penicillin having benzyl side chain
The side chain of natural penicillins can be split off by amidase to produce 6 amino penicillanic acid (Active moeity) , otherside chains can then be attached to this to produce different semisynthetic penicillins with different antibacterial properties and pharmokinetic profile
The Beta lactum ring of penicillins is susceptible to beta lactamases – penicillinase produced by invading bacteria like (Staphylococcus, E coli) to form inactive penicilloic acid . This penicilloic acid can combine with host protein and act as antigenic determinant of penicillin induced hypersensitivity.
Bacteria have no mechanism of their own to regulate the osmolarity so they rely on supportive srtucture around cell wall to withstand the osmotic changes
Majority of bacteria have thick cell wall which confers stability and rigidity to their cell structure
The cell wall is composed peptidoglycan chain: the later is composed of parallel glycan chain crossed linked by peptide chains hence named peptidoglycan – NAMA & NAG Cross linked by peptide chains, this peptidoglycan layer envelopes the cell and doesn’t allow it to swell
Penicillins they are bactericidal drugs: agents that show time dependent killing with shirter Post antibiotic effect
Their conc should be kept above MIC or MBC for as long as possible during dose intervals (Agents that show conc dependent killing with long PAE= Aminoglycosides, fliroquinolones, metronidaxzole, rifampicin, these agents kill bacteria more rapidly if their serum conc are kept appreciably above the MIC , hence wider dosage intervals can be chosen from this group of drugs
Agents showing time dependent killing with longer PAE = Azithromycin, clarithromycin, vancomycin, tetracycline)
The glycan chain consists of the repeating units of two amino amino sugars – N-acetyl muraminic acid & N acetyl glucosamine , the penta peptide chain is linked to N acetyl muraminic acid, these peptide chains are cross linked to other peptide chains with help of penta glycine bridge which extends from L- lysine residue of one peptide chain to D alanine residue of other peptide chain. This cross bridging between the peptide chains of peptidoglycan is essential for to provide necessary strength to bacterial cell wall.
The process of cross bridging is called transpeptidation reaction it is catalyzed by penicillin binding proteins
Penicillin binding proteins: are transmembrane surface enzymes present in the bacteria
Three types of penicillin binding proteins are found in cytoplasmic membrane of all bacterial species
Transpeptidase: PBP-1: cleaves the Terminal d-ala and joins it to l lysine adjacent
PBP 2: is carboxypeptidase: it hydrolyses the terminal D-ala residue present on the pentapeptide chain to promote further cross linking at that site , its inhibition leads to formation of spherical cells rather than rod shaped bacilli
PBP-3: is an endopeptidase: it splits cross linking invoved in septum formation during cell division. Its inhibition results in filamentation wherein the cells cannot separate from one another during cell division
The stereochemical configuration of Penicillin is similar to D-Alaninyl D alanine portion of pentapeptide strand, so penicillins compete for penicillin binding proteins and inhibit penicillin binding protein mediated transpeptidation reaction. Formation of incomplete cell wall formation of incomplete cell wall leads to an osmotic drive of fluid from outside of the environment to inside of bacteria which then swells and bursts to die.
The death of bacteria is not solely due to osmotic drive but also results from activation of autolysing enzymes called murein hydrolases or autolysins. penicillins are lethal in multiplying phase rather than dormant phase.
Penicillin G & its esters
Penicillin G, procaine penicillin G, benzathine penicillin G
Penicillins (Eg, Penicillin G)
These have greatest activity against gram-positive organisms, gram-negative cocci, and non– -lactamase producing anaerobes. However, they have little activity against gram-negative rods, and they are susceptible to hydrolysis by lactamases.
Acid Resistant penicillins
Phenoxyethyl penicillin
Phenoxy methyl penicillin
Penicillinase resistant penicillins
Acid stable: Cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, flucloxacillin
Acid labile: Methicillin, nafcillin
All are sensitive to beta lactamase
Streptococci except group D, viridans or enterococci.
Penicillin G is acid labile destroyed by gastric juice as such less than 1/3 of active oral dose is absorbed
Probenecid blocks the tubular secretion of penicillins and prolongs the half life and increases the concentration of penicillin G as Well as other penicillins
Probenecid when administered orally in dose of 2 gm /day in divided doses along with penicillin it increases the plasma levels 2-4 fold
Probenecid is capable of producing allergic reactions not recommended in children
Most strains of pneumococci are susceptible to penicillins and hence it continues to be drug of choice for these infections
Pneumococcal pneumonia:
therapeutic response to penicillin becomes apparent witin 48 to 72 hrs, in milder cases and in patients known to be allergic to penicillins oral macrolide like erythromycin or azithrromycin may be used , 15 -30 % resistance developed S.pneumoniae so in hospitalized pt who are seriously ill cefotaxime or ceftriaxone drug of choice
Pneumococcal empyema and pericarditis;
Benzyl penicillin G 2 mega units IV every 2 hrly (24 mega units per day )
in addition half to 1 mega unit of benzyl penicillin benzyl penicillin in 50 to hundred ml of isotonic saline should be infused intrapeluerally for several days
if pleural fluid is very thick you can give proteolytic enzymes like streptokinase & streptodornase
Amoxycillin 2 gm in adults , 50 mg/kg In children
1.2 mega units of benzathine penicillin
Rheumatic fever: low conc of penicillins prevent the colonization by streptococci responsible for rheumatic fever.
Local irritancy or direct toxicity : pain at IM site ,
Peak blood level reached in 1 hr
t1/2 = 30-60 min
Except MRSA
But not against MRS, Oxacillin, dicloxacillin, flucloxacillin are not marketed in India
Nafcillin: parenteral penicillinase resistant penicillin
Bacampicillin: prodrug of ampicillin , nearly completely absorbed from GIT , largely hydrolysed during absorption
Thus higher plasma levels are achieved
Tissue penetration is better
Doesn’t disturb intestinal ecology: less diarrhoea
Dose: 400-800 mg BD
Ticarcillin is more potent than carbenicillin against pseudomonas, other properties are similar
Mezlocillin:
Given parenterally primarily for infections caused by enreric bacilli
Clavulinic acid has a beta lactum ring but no activity of its own
Progressive inhibitor : binding withbeta lactamase is reversible initially but later becomes covalent (Inhibition increases with time)
Half life = 1 hr
Eliminated mainly by glomerular filtration and its excretion is not affected by probenecid , largely hydrolysed and decarboxylated before excretion.
Amoxicillin is primarily excreted unchanged by tubular secretion
SHE, PROTEUS, KLEBSIELLA, SHIGELLA, SALMONELLA , BACTEROIDES FRAGILIS
USES: skin, soft tissue, intraabdominal infections , gynaae sepsis, urinary , biliary & respiratory tract infections , emperic therapy for hospital acquired infections
Gonorrhoea 3 +0.5 + 1 gm probenecid
Amoxycillin 250 mg + 125 CL acid / 500 amox + 125 Clav , inj 1g + 0.2 cl acid TDS
Pain at site of injection, thrombophlebitis most common adverse events