Cephalosporins

Cephalosporin
Drug class
Core structure of the cephalosporins
Class identifiers
Use	Bacterial infection
ATC code	J01D
Biological target	Penicillin binding proteins
Clinical data
Drugs.com	Drug Classes
External links
MeSH	D002511

The cephalosporins (sg. /ˌsɛfələˈspɔːrᵻn, ˌkɛ-, -loʊ-/) are a class of β-lactam antibiotics originally derived from the fungus Acremonium, which was previously known as "Cephalosporium".

Together with cephamycins, they constitute a subgroup of β-lactam antibiotics called cephems. Cephalosporins were discovered in 1945 by the Italian pharmacologist Giuseppe Brotzu and were first sold in 1964.

Cephalosporins are indicated for the prophylaxis and treatment of infections caused by bacteria susceptible to this particular form of antibiotic. First-generation cephalosporins are active predominantly against Gram-positive bacteria, and successive generations have increased activity against Gram-negative bacteria (albeit often with reduced activity against Gram-positive organisms).

Common adverse drug reactions (ADRs) (≥ 1% of patients) associated with the cephalosporin therapy include: diarrhea, nausea, rash, electrolyte disturbances, and pain and inflammation at injection site. Infrequent ADRs (0.1–1% of patients) include vomiting, headache, dizziness, oral and vaginal candidiasis, pseudomembranous colitis, superinfection, eosinophilia, nephrotoxicity, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and fever.