Piperacillin is a penicillin beta-lactam antibiotic used in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by susceptible, usually gram-positive, organisms. It is combined with tazobactam to treat piperacillin-resistant, piperacillin/tazobactam­ susceptible, β-lactamase generating strains of several bacteria. By binding to specific penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) located inside the bacterial cell wall, Piperacillin inhibits the third and last stage of bacterial cell wall synthesis. Cell lysis is then mediated by bacterial cell wall autolytic enzymes such as autolysins; it is possible that Piperacillin interferes with an autolysin inhibitor.

Piperacillin Pathway References