Letter M

Macrolide

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One in a class of antibiotics that includes Biaxin, Clarithromycin, Ery-Tab, and Erythromycin.</P> The macrolides inhibit the growth of bacteria and are often prescribed to treat rather common bacterial infections.</P> In more technical terms, the macrolides are a group of antibiotics produced by various strains of Streptomyces (spore forming bacteria that grow slowly in soil or water as a branching filamentous mycelium similar to that of fungi) and have a complex chemical (macrocyclic) structure.

They act by inhibiting protein synthesis, specifically by blocking the 50S ribosomal subunit.

They are broad spectrum antibiotics.

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