Clavulanic acid

Clavulanic acid is a β-lactam drug that functions as a mechanism-basedβ-lactamase inhibitor. While not effective by itself as an antibiotic, when combined with penicillin-group antibiotics, it can overcome antibiotic resistance in bacteria that secrete β-lactamase, which otherwise inactivates most penicillins.

In its most common preparations, potassium clavulanate (clavulanic acid as a salt of potassium) is combined with:

• amoxicillin (co-amoxiclav, trade names Augmentin, Clavulin, Tyclav, Clavaseptin (veterinary), Clavamox (veterinary), Synulox (veterinary), and others)
• ticarcillin (co-ticarclav, trade name Timentin)

Clavulanic acid was patented in 1974. In addition to its β-lactamase inhibition, clavulanic acid shows off-target activity in the nervous system by upregulating the glutamate transporter 1 (GLT-1) and has been studied in the potential treatment of a variety of central nervous system disorders.