Sulbactam

Sulbactam is a β-lactamase inhibitor. This drug is given in combination with β-lactam antibiotics to inhibit β-lactamase, an enzyme produced by bacteria that destroys the antibiotics.^[1]

Sulbactam

Clinical data
AHFS/Drugs.com	International Drug Names
MedlinePlus	a693021
Routes of administration	Intravenous, intramuscular
ATC code	J01CG01 (WHO)
Legal status
Legal status	UK: POM (Prescription only)
Pharmacokinetic data
Protein binding	29%
Elimination half-life	0.65–1.20 hrs
Excretion	Mainly kidneys (41–66% within 8 hrs)
Identifiers
IUPAC name (2S,5R)-3,3-Dimethyl-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]heptane-2-carboxylic acid 4,4-dioxide
CAS Number	68373-14-8 Y
PubChem CID	130313
ChemSpider	115306 Y
UNII	S4TF6I2330
KEGG	D08533 Y
ChEBI	CHEBI:9321 Y
ChEMBL	ChEMBL403 Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID1023605
ECHA InfoCard	100.063.506
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C8H11NO5S
Molar mass	233.24 g·mol−1
3D model (JSmol)	Interactive image
Melting point	148 to 151 °C (298 to 304 °F)
SMILES O=S2(=O)C([C@@H](N1C(=O)C[C@H]12)C(=O)O)(C)C
InChI InChI=1S/C8H11NO5S/c1-8(2)6(7(11)12)9-4(10)3-5(9)15(8,13)14/h5-6H,3H2,1-2H3,(H,11,12)/t5-,6+/m1/s1 Y Key:FKENQMMABCRJMK-RITPCOANSA-N Y
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It was patented in 1977 and approved for medical use in 1986.^[2]

Medical uses

The combination ampicillin/sulbactam (Unasyn) is available in the United States.^[3]

The combination cefoperazone/sulbactam (Sulperazon) is available in many countries but not in the United States.^[4]

The co-packaged combination sulbactam/durlobactam was approved for medical use in the United States in May 2023.^[5]

Mechanism

Sulbactam is primarily used as a suicide inhibitor of β-lactamase, shielding more potent beta-lactams such as ampicillin.^[6] Sulbactam itself contains a beta-lactam ring, and has weak antibacterial activity by inhibiting penicillin binding proteins (PBP) 1 and 3, but not 2.^[7]