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Clavulanic acids

(Science: chemical) acids, salts, and derivatives of clavulanic acid (c8h9o5n). They consist of those beta-lactam compounds that differ from penicillin in having the sulfur of the thiazolidine ring replaced by an oxygen. They have limited antibacterial action, but block bacterial beta-lactamase irreversibly, so that similar antibiotics are not broken down by the bacterial enzymes and therefore can exert their antibacterial effects.

Pharmacological action: antibiotics, lactam, enzyme inhibitors.