Cefmetazole is a

cephamycin Cephamycins are a group of β-lactam antibiotics. They are very similar to cephalosporins, and the cephamycins are sometimes classified as cephalosporins. Like cephalosporins, cephamycins are based upon the cephem nucleus. Unlike most cephalospo ...

antibiotic, usually grouped with the second-generation cephalosporins. __TOC__

Adverse effects

The chemical structure of cefmetazole, like that of several other cephalosporins, contains an ''N''-methylthiotetrazole (NMTT or 1-MTT)

side chain In organic chemistry and biochemistry, a side chain is a chemical group that is attached to a core part of the molecule called the "main chain" or backbone. The side chain is a hydrocarbon branching element of a molecule that is attached to a ...

. As the antibiotic is broken down in the body, it releases free NMTT, which can cause

hypoprothrombinemia Hypoprothrombinemia is a rare blood disorder in which a deficiency in immunoreactive prothrombin (Factor II), produced in the liver, results in an impaired blood clotting reaction, leading to an increased physiological risk for spontaneous bleedin ...

(likely due to

inhibition Inhibitor or inhibition may refer to: In biology * Enzyme inhibitor, a substance that binds to an enzyme and decreases the enzyme's activity * Reuptake inhibitor, a substance that increases neurotransmission by blocking the reuptake of a neurotra ...

of the

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products ...

vitamin K epoxide reductase Vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR) is an enzyme () that reduces vitamin K after it has been oxidised in the carboxylation of glutamic acid residues in blood coagulation enzymes. VKOR is a member of a large family of predicted enzymes that are pre ...

) and a reaction with ethanol similar to that produced by

disulfiram Disulfiram is a medication used to support the treatment of chronic alcoholism by producing an acute sensitivity to ethanol (drinking alcohol). Disulfiram works by inhibiting the enzyme acetaldehyde dehydrogenase, causing many of the effects of ...

, due to inhibition of

aldehyde dehydrogenase Aldehyde dehydrogenases () are a group of enzymes that catalyse the oxidation of aldehydes. They convert aldehydes (R–C(=O)) to carboxylic acids (R–C(=O)). The oxygen comes from a water molecule. To date, nineteen ALDH genes have b ...

Spectrum of bacterial susceptibility

Cefmetazole is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antimicrobial and has been effective in treating bacteria responsible for causing urinary tract and skin infections. The following represents MIC susceptibility data for a few medically significant microorganisms. * ''Bacteroides fragilis'': 0.06 - >256 µg/ml * ''Clostridium difficile'': 8 - >128 µg/ml * ''Staphylococcus aureus'': 0.5 - 256 µg/ml (includes

MRSA Methicillin-resistant ''Staphylococcus aureus'' (MRSA) is a group of Gram-positive bacteria that are genetically distinct from other strains of ''Staphylococcus aureus''. MRSA is responsible for several difficult-to-treat infections in humans. ...

)

References

Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors Cephalosporin antibiotics Tetrazoles Nitriles Carboxamides {{antibiotic-stub