What is "piperacillin"

n. (context medicine English) A particular ureidopenicillin antibiotic

n. a synthetic type of penicillin antibiotic (trade name Pipracil) used for moderate to severe infections [syn: Pipracil]

Piperacillin is a broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotic of the ureidopenicillin class. The chemical structure of piperacillin and other ureidopenicillins incorporates a polar side chain that enhances penetration into Gram-(-) bacteria and reduces susceptibility to cleavage by Gram-(-) beta lactamase enzymes. These properties confer activity against the important hospital pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Thus piperacillin is sometimes referred to as an "anti-pseudomonal penicillin".

When used alone, piperacillin lacks strong activity against the Gram positive pathogen Staphylococcus aureus, as the beta-lactam ring is broken by the bacteria's beta-lactamase.

Piperacillin is most commonly used in combination with the beta-lactamase inhibitor tazobactam ( piperacillin/tazobactam) (tradename "Zosyn" or "Tazocin"), which enhances piperacillin's effectiveness by inhibiting many beta lactamases to which it is susceptible. The co-administration of tazobactam does not confer activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, however, as penicillins (and most other beta lactams) do not avidly bind to the penicillin-binding proteins of this pathogen.