- Clarithromycin is a semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic derived from erythromycin.
- Clarithromycin was developed in the 1980s by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Taisho Pharmaceutical. It was approved for medical use in 1991 and became widely available globally soon after. It is on the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines.
- Clarithromycin inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit, blocking peptide chain elongation. This prevents bacterial growth and multiplication, making it effective against various infections.
- Clarithromycin is considered a broad-spectrum antibiotic. It is effective against a wide range of Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and atypical bacteria. This includes pathogens like Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, and Mycobacterium avium.
