Levofloxacin is a brand example of which antibiotic class?

Levofloxacin is a brand example of which antibiotic class?

• A. Fluoroquinolones
• B. Macrolides
• C. Aminoglycosides
• D. Sulfonamides

Answer: (A)

Levofloxacin is a member of the fluoroquinolones, a class defined by blocking bacterial DNA replication by inhibiting enzymes such as DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. When these enzymes are inhibited, bacterial DNA cannot be properly supercoiled or decatenated, so replication and transcription stall and the bacteria die. The presence of a fluorine atom in these drugs is a hallmark that enhances potency and tissue penetration, which is why the class is called fluoroquinolones. Levofloxacin, the L-isomer of ofloxacin, has broad activity against many Gram-negative bacteria and some Gram-positives, making it useful for a range of infections like respiratory, urinary tract, and skin infections. In contrast, macrolides work by blocking protein synthesis at the 50S ribosomal subunit, aminoglycosides disrupt the 30S subunit causing misreading of mRNA, and sulfonamides inhibit folate synthesis in bacteria.

Levofloxacin is a member of the fluoroquinolones, a class defined by blocking bacterial DNA replication by inhibiting enzymes such as DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. When these enzymes are inhibited, bacterial DNA cannot be properly supercoiled or decatenated, so replication and transcription stall and the bacteria die. The presence of a fluorine atom in these drugs is a hallmark that enhances potency and tissue penetration, which is why the class is called fluoroquinolones. Levofloxacin, the L-isomer of ofloxacin, has broad activity against many Gram-negative bacteria and some Gram-positives, making it useful for a range of infections like respiratory, urinary tract, and skin infections. In contrast, macrolides work by blocking protein synthesis at the 50S ribosomal subunit, aminoglycosides disrupt the 30S subunit causing misreading of mRNA, and sulfonamides inhibit folate synthesis in bacteria.