ABSTRACT
Ticarcillin–clavulanate is an injectable antibacterial combination consisting of two agents, a beta-lactam antibiotic (ticarcillin) and a beta-lactamase inhibitor (clavulanic acid; see Chapter 13, Beta-lactamase inhibitors). Ticarcillin is a semisynthetic penicillin of the carboxypenicillin group (see Chapter 9, Carbenicillin, carindacillin, carfecillin and ticarcillin). It is an alpha carboxyl 3 thienylmethyl penicillin, with the detailed formula of ticarcillin disodium being N-(2-carboxy-3,3-dimethyl-7-oxo-4-thia-1-azabicyclo[3.2.0]hept-6-yl)-3-thiophenemalo-namic acid disodium (see Figure 16.1). Another member of this group is carbenicillin, which ticarcillin has now replaced for clinical use. These drugs fall into the group commonly referred to as the extended-spectrum penicillins (Sutherland et al., 1970).
