What is the Difference Between Beta Lactam and Cephalosporin

The key difference between beta lactam and cephalosporin is that beta lactam has a ring structure that is connected to a 5-membered thiazolidine ring and a side chain R, which can differentiate the types of penicillin medications, whereas cephalosporin is related to the chemical structure and the antimicrobial activity of penicillin and it has a core 4-membered beta lactam ring structure.

Beta lactam and cephalosporin are two groups of antibiotics that possess a core-membered beta lactam ring.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Beta Lactam
3. What is Cephalosporin
4. Beta Lactam vs Cephalosporin in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Beta Lactam vs Cephalosporin

What is Beta Lactam?

Beta lactam antibiotics are antibiotics that contain beta lactam rings within their structures. They contain a nitrogen molecule attached to the beta carbon. They are broad-spectrum antibiotics such as penicillin derivatives, cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, etc. These antibiotics inhibit the biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls, thereby destroying bacterial pathogens.

Their use is high compared to other antibiotics. However, bacteria have developed antibiotic resistance against these beta lactam antibiotics. The enzyme called beta lactamase has given them multi-resistance to beta lactam antibiotics. Thus, to overcome this problem, doctors prescribe beta lactamase inhibitors with beta lactam antibiotics. Beta lactam antibiotics are more active against grams positive bacteria. However, beta lactam antibiotics can be used for gram-negative bacteria as well.

What is Cephalosporin?

A cephalosporin is a group of β-lactam antibiotics derived from the fungus Acremonium. There is a subgroup of this drug class named “cephems.” Moreover, the discovery of cephalosporin was in 1945 by the Italian pharmacologist Giuseppe Brotzu. We use this drug to treat bacterial infections. The first generation of cephalosporin is mainly active against gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, patients can use this drug if they are allergic to penicillin. This is because the biological target for this drug is penicillin-binding proteins.

However, there are some adverse effects of this drug as well:

Diarrhoea
Nausea
Rash
Electrolytic disturbances
Pain and inflammation at the injection site, etc.

We can use cephalosporin for the prophylaxis and treatment of infectious diseases caused by bacteria that are susceptible to these antibiotics. The first-generation cephalosporin can become active predominantly against Gram positive bacteria, e.g. Staphylococcus, Steepticoccus. Therefore, they can be useful mostly in the skin and soft tissue connections

What is the Difference Between Beta Lactam and Cephalosporin?

The key difference between beta lactam and cephalosporin is that beta lactam has a ring structure that is connected to a 5-membered thiazolidine ring and a side chain R that can differentiate types of penicillin medications, whereas cephalosporin is related to the chemical structure and the antimicrobial activity of penicillin and it has a core 4-membered beta lactam ring structure. Moreover, beta-lactam act by inhibiting the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls, whereas cephalosporin bind to and block the activity of enzymes that are responsible for making peptidoglycan.

The below infographic presents the differences between beta lactam and cephalosporin in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Beta Lactam vs Cephalosporin

Beta lactam and cephalosporin are two groups of antibiotics having a core-membered beta lactam ring. The key difference between beta lactam and cephalosporin is that beta lactam has a ring structure that is connected to a 5-membered thiazolidine ring and a side chain R that can differentiate types of penicillin medications, whereas cephalosporin is related to the chemical structure and the antimicrobial activity of penicillin and it has a core 4-membered beta lactam ring structure.

Reference:

1. “List of Cephalosporins + Uses, Types & Side Effects.” Drugs.com.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Cephalosporin core structure” By Fvasconcellos (talk · contribs) – Adapted from Image:Beta-lactam antibiotics example 1.svg. (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Cephalosporins Generation1” (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia