Azithromycin is a broad-spectrum macrolide antibiotic with a long half-life and a high degree of tissue penetration. It is commonly administered via oral consumption and diffuses throughout the body. It is primarily used for the treatment of respiratory, enteric and genitourinary infections and may be used instead of other macrolides for some sexually transmitted and enteric infections. Like other macrolide antimicrobials, azithromycin binds to the 23S portion of the 50S bacterial ribosomal subunit. It inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by preventing the addition of aminoacyl-tRNA to the growing protein through the ribosome. Inhibition of protein synthesis leads to apoptosis of the bacteria since essential proteins required for the bacteria to survive are not being produced.

Azithromycin Pathway References