Tazobactam

Tazobactam is a pharmaceutical drug that inhibits the action of bacterial β-lactamases, especially those belonging to the SHV-1 and TEM groups. It is commonly used as its sodium salt, tazobactam sodium.

Tazobactam is combined with the extended spectrum β-lactam antibiotic piperacillin in the drug piperacillin/tazobactam, used in infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Tazobactam broadens the spectrum of piperacillin by making it effective against organisms that express β-lactamase and would normally degrade piperacillin.

Tazobactam was patented in 1982 and came into medical use in 1992.