List of antibiotics

The following is a list of antibiotics. The highest division between antibiotics is bactericidal and bacteriostatic. Bactericidals kill bacteria directly, whereas bacteriostatics prevent them from dividing. However, these classifications are based on laboratory behavior. The development of antibiotics has had a profound effect on the health of people for many years. Also, both people and animals have used antibiotics to treat infections and diseases. In practice, both treat bacterial infections.

By coverage

The following are lists of antibiotics for specific microbial coverage (not an exhaustive list):

MRSA

Antibiotics that cover methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA):

• Vancomycin
• Teicoplanin
• Linezolid
• Daptomycin
• Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
• Doxycycline
• Ceftobiprole (5th generation)
• Ceftaroline (5th generation)
• Clindamycin
• Dalbavancin
• Delafloxacin
• Fusidic acid
• Mupirocin (topical)
• Omadacycline
• Oritavancin
• Tedizolid
• Telavancin
• Tigecycline (also covers gram negatives)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Antibiotics that cover Pseudomonas aeruginosa:

Certain cephalosporins, cephalosporin-beta-lactamase-inhibitor combinations, and new siderophore cephalosporins.

• Ceftazidime (3rd generation)
• Cefepime (4th generation)
• Ceftobiprole (5th generation)
• Ceftolozane/tazobactam
• Ceftazidime/avibactam
• Cefiderocol(siderophore cephalosporin)

Certain penicillins:

• Piperacillin and Piperacillin/tazobactam
• Ticarcillin/clavulanic acid

Certain carbapenems and carbapenem-beta-lactamase-inhibitors combinations:

• Carbapenems: (meropenem, imipenem/cilastatin, doripenem - NOT ertapenem)
• Meropenem/vaborbactam
• Imipenem/cilastatin/relebactam

Others:

• Fluoroquinolones: particularly levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin
• Polymyxins: Colistin, Polymyxin B
• Aztreonam (monobactam)
• Aminoglycosides - particularly tobramycin and amikacin

VRE

Antibiotics that usually have activity against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE):

• Linezolid and Tedizolid
• Streptogramins such as quinupristin-dalfopristin
• Advanced generation tetracyclines: Tigecycline, Omadacycline, Eravacycline
• Daptomycin
• Oritavancin

Antibiotics with less reliable but occasional (depending on isolate and subspecies) activity:

• occasionally penicillins including penicillin, ampicillin and ampicillin-sulbactam, amoxicillin and amoxicillin-clavulnate, and piperacillin-tazobactam (not all vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus isolates are resistant to penicillin and ampicillin)
• occasionally doxycycline and minocycline
• occasionally fluoroquinolones such as moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin

By class

See also pathogenic bacteria for a list of antibiotics sorted by target bacteria.

Antibiotics by class

Generic name	Brand names	Common uses	Possible side effects	Mechanism of action
Aminoglycosides
Amikacin	Amikin	Infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Effective against aerobic bacteria (not obligate/facultative anaerobes) and tularemia. All aminoglycosides are ineffective when taken orally as the stomach will digest the drug before it goes into the bloodstream. However aminoglycosides are effective in Intravenous, intramuscular and topical forms.	Hearing loss Vertigo Kidney damage	Binding to the bacterial 30S ribosomal subunit (some work by binding to the 50S subunit), inhibiting the translocation of the peptidyl-tRNA from the A-site to the P-site and also causing misreading of mRNA, leaving the bacterium unable to synthesize proteins vital to its growth.
Gentamicin	Garamycin
Kanamycin	Kantrex
Neomycin	Neo-Fradin
Netilmicin	Netromycin
Tobramycin	Nebcin
Paromomycin	Humatin
Streptomycin		Tuberculosis
Spectinomycin(Bs)	Trobicin	Gonorrhea
Ansamycins
Geldanamycin		Experimental, as antitumor antibiotics		Block DNA transcription, either via inhibiting DNA-dependent RNA polymerase by binding to the β-subunit
Herbimycin
Rifaximin	Xifaxan	Traveler's diarrhea caused by E. coli
Carbacephem
Loracarbef	Lorabid	Discontinued		Prevents bacterial cell division by inhibiting cell wall synthesis.
Carbapenems
Ertapenem	Invanz	Bactericidal for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms and therefore useful for empiric broad-spectrum antibacterial coverage. (Notes: MRSA resistance to this class. All are active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa except ertapenem.)	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Nausea Seizures Headache Rash and allergic reactions	Inhibition of cell wall synthesis
Doripenem	Doribax
Imipenem/Cilastatin	Primaxin
Meropenem	Merrem
Cephalosporins (First generation)
Cefadroxil	Duricef	Good coverage against Gram-positive infections.	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Nausea (if alcohol taken concurrently) Allergic reactions	Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Cefazolin	Ancef, Kefzol
Cephradine
Cephapirin
Cephalothin
Cefalexin	Keflex
Cephalosporins (Second generation)
Cefaclor	Distaclor, Ceclor, Raniclor	Less Gram-positive cover, improved Gram-negative cover.	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Nausea (if alcohol taken concurrently) - if contains methylthiotetrazole side group Hypoprothrombinemia - if contains methylthiotetrazole side group Allergic reactions	Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Cefoxitin
Cefotetan	Cefotan
Cefamandole
Cefmetazole
Cefonicid
Loracarbef
Cefprozil	Cefzil
Cefuroxime	Ceftin, Zinacef (UK)
Cephalosporins (Third generation)
Cefixime (antagonistic with Chloramphenicol)	Cefspan (Fujisawa), Suprax	Improved coverage of Gram-negative organisms, except Pseudomonas. Reduced Gram-positive cover. But still not cover Mycoplasma and Chlamydia	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Nausea (if alcohol taken concurrently) Allergic reactions	Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Cefdinir	Omnicef, Cefdiel
Cefditoren	Spectracef, Meiact
Cefoperazone [Unlike most third-generation agents, cefoperazone is active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa], combination Cefoperazone with Sulbactam makes more effective antibiotic, because Sulbactam avoid degeneration of Cefoperazone	Cefobid (discontinued)
Cefotaxime	Claforan
Cefpodoxime	Vantin, Banadoz
Ceftazidime (Unlike most third-generation agents, ceftazidime is active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, but less active against Staphylococci and Streptococci compare to other 3rd generation of cephalosporins)	Fortaz, Ceptaz
Ceftibuten	Cedax
Ceftizoxime
Moxalactam
Ceftriaxone (IV and IM, not orally, effective also for syphilis and uncomplicated gonorrhea)	Rocephin
Cephalosporins (Fourth generation)
Cefepime	Maxipime	Covers pseudomonal infections.	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Nausea (if alcohol taken concurrently) Allergic reactions	Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Cephalosporins (Fifth generation)
Ceftaroline fosamil	Teflaro	Used to treat MRSA	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Allergic reaction	Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Ceftobiprole	Zeftera	Used to treat MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and enterococci	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Nausea (if alcohol taken concurrently) Allergic reactions	Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Glycopeptides
Teicoplanin	Targocid (UK)	Active against aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive bacteria including MRSA; Vancomycin is used orally for the treatment of C. difficile colitis		Inhibits peptidoglycan synthesis.
Vancomycin	Vancocin
Telavancin	Vibativ
Dalbavancin	Dalvance
Oritavancin	Orbactiv
Lincosamides(Bs)
Clindamycin	Cleocin	Serious staph-, pneumo-, and streptococcal infections in penicillin-allergic patients, also anaerobic infections; clindamycin topically for acne	Possible C. difficile-related pseudomembranous enterocolitis	Binds to 50S subunit of bacterial ribosomal RNA thereby inhibiting protein synthesis.
Lincomycin	Lincocin
Lipopeptide
Daptomycin	Cubicin	Gram-positive organisms, but is inhibited by pulmonary surfactant so less effective against pneumonias		Binds to the membrane and cause rapid depolarization, resulting in a loss of membrane potential leading to inhibition of protein, DNA and RNA synthesis.
Macrolides(Bs)
Azithromycin	Zithromax, Sumamed, Xithrone	Streptococcal infections, syphilis, upper respiratory tract infections, lower respiratory tract infections, mycoplasmal infections, Lyme disease	Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (especially at higher doses) Prolonged cardiac QT interval (especially erythromycin) Hearing loss (especially at higher doses) Jaundice	Inhibition of bacterial protein biosynthesis by binding reversibly to the subunit 50S of the bacterial ribosome, thereby inhibiting translocation of peptidyl tRNA.
Clarithromycin	Biaxin
Erythromycin	Erythocin, Erythroped
Roxithromycin
Telithromycin	Ketek	Pneumonia	Visual disturbance, liver toxicity.
Spiramycin	Rovamycine	Mouth infections
Fidaxomicin	Dificid	Treatment of Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile infection. May be more narrow-spectrum than vancomycin, resulting in less bowel microbiota alteration.	Nausea (11%), vomiting, and abdominal pain.	Bactericidal in susceptible organisms such as C. difficile by inhibiting RNA polymerase, thereby inhibiting protein synthesis.
Monobactams
Aztreonam	Azactam	Gram-negative bacteria		Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Nitrofurans
Furazolidone	Furoxone	Bacterial or protozoal diarrhea or enteritis
Nitrofurantoin(Bs)	Macrodantin, Macrobid	Urinary tract infections
Oxazolidinones(Bs)
Linezolid	Zyvox	VRSA	Thrombocytopenia Peripheral neuropathy Serotonin syndrome	Protein synthesis inhibitor; prevents the initiation step
Posizolid	Phase II clinical trials
Radezolid	Phase II clinical trials
Tedizolid	Sivextro
Penicillins
Amoxicillin	Novamox, Amoxil	Wide range of infections; penicillin used for streptococcal infections, syphilis, and Lyme disease	Gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea Allergy with serious anaphylactic reactions Brain and kidney damage (rare)	Same mode of action as other beta-lactam antibiotics: disrupt the synthesis of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls.
Ampicillin	Principen (discontinued)
Azlocillin
Dicloxacillin	Dynapen (discontinued)
Flucloxacillin	Floxapen (Sold to European generics Actavis Group)
Mezlocillin	Mezlin (discontinued)
Methicillin	Staphcillin (discontinued)
Nafcillin	Unipen (discontinued)
Oxacillin	Prostaphlin (discontinued)
Penicillin G	Pentids (discontinued)
Penicillin V	Veetids (Pen-Vee-K) (discontinued)
Piperacillin	Pipracil (discontinued)
Penicillin G	Pfizerpen
Temocillin	Negaban (UK) (discontinued)
Ticarcillin	Ticar (discontinued)
Penicillin combinations
Amoxicillin/clavulanate	Augmentin	Both Amoxicillin/clavulanate and Ampicillin/sulbactam are effective against non-recurrent acute otitis media. Amoxicillin/clavulanate is one of the few oral antibiotics effective against skin and soft tissue infections. Can be given to children less than 40 kilograms in weight; for children heavier, the dosage is same as adults, twice daily.		The second component reduces the effectiveness of some forms of bacterial resistance to the first component
Ampicillin/sulbactam	Unasyn
Piperacillin/tazobactam	Zosyn
Ticarcillin/clavulanate	Timentin
Polypeptides
Bacitracin		Eye, ear or bladder infections; usually applied directly to the eye or inhaled into the lungs; rarely given by injection, although the use of intravenous colistin is experiencing a resurgence due to the emergence of multi drug resistant organisms.	Kidney and nerve damage (when given by injection)	Inhibits isoprenyl pyrophosphate, a molecule that carries the building blocks of the peptidoglycan bacterial cell wall outside of the inner membrane
Colistin	Coly-Mycin-S			Interact with the Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane and cytoplasmic membrane, displacing bacterial counterions, which destabilizes the outer membrane. Act like a detergent against the cytoplasmic membrane, which alters its permeability. Polymyxin B and E are bactericidal even in an isosmotic solution.
Polymyxin B
Quinolones/Fluoroquinolones
Ciprofloxacin	Cipro, Ciproxin, Ciprobay	Urinary tract infections, bacterial prostatitis, community-acquired pneumonia, bacterial diarrhea, mycoplasmal infections, gonorrhea	Nausea (rare), irreversible damage to central nervous system (uncommon), tendinosis (rare)	Inhibits the bacterial DNA gyrase or the topoisomerase IV enzyme, thereby inhibiting DNA replication and transcription.
Enoxacin	Penetrex
Gatifloxacin	Tequin
Gemifloxacin	Factive
Levofloxacin	Levaquin
Lomefloxacin	Maxaquin
Moxifloxacin	Avelox
Nadifloxacin
Nalidixic acid	NegGram
Norfloxacin	Noroxin
Ofloxacin	Floxin (discontinued), Ocuflox
Trovafloxacin	Trovan	Withdrawn
Grepafloxacin	Raxar	Withdrawn
Sparfloxacin	Zagam	Withdrawn
Temafloxacin	Omniflox	Withdrawn
Sulfonamides(Bs)
Mafenide	Sulfamylon	Urinary tract infections (except sulfacetamide, used for eye infections, and mafenide and silver sulfadiazine, used topically for burns)	Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea Allergy (including skin rashes) Crystals in urine Kidney failure Decrease in white blood cell count Sensitivity to sunlight	Folate synthesis inhibition. They are competitive inhibitors of the enzyme dihydropteroate synthetase, DHPS. DHPS catalyses the conversion of PABA (para-aminobenzoate) to dihydropteroate, a key step in folate synthesis. Folate is necessary for the cell to synthesize nucleic acids (nucleic acids are essential building blocks of DNA and RNA), and in its absence cells cannot divide.
Sulfacetamide	Sulamyd, Bleph-10
Sulfadiazine	Micro-Sulfon
Silver sulfadiazine	Silvadene
Sulfadimethoxine	Di-Methox, Albon
Sulfamethizole	Thiosulfil Forte
Sulfamethoxazole	Gantanol
Sulfanilimide (archaic)
Sulfasalazine	Azulfidine
Sulfisoxazole	Gantrisin
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole (Co-trimoxazole) (TMP-SMX)	Bactrim, Septra
Sulfonamidochrysoidine (archaic)	Prontosil
Tetracyclines(Bs)
Demeclocycline	Declomycin	Syphilis, chlamydial infections, Lyme disease, mycoplasmal infections, acne rickettsial infections, malaria	Gastrointestinal upset Sensitivity to sunlight Potential toxicity to mother and fetus during pregnancy Enamel hypoplasia (staining of teeth; potentially permanent) Transient depression of bone growth	Inhibits the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the mRNA-ribosome complex. They do so mainly by binding to the 30S ribosomal subunit in the mRNA translation complex. But Tetracycline cannot be taken together with all dairy products, aluminium, iron and zinc minerals.
Doxycycline	Vibramycin
Metacycline
Minocycline	Minocin
Oxytetracycline	Terramycin
Tetracycline	Sumycin, Achromycin V, Steclin
Pleuromutilin antibiotics
Lefamulin	Xenleta
Retapamulin	Altabax
Valnemulin	Econor
Tiamulin	Dynamutilin
Drugs against mycobacteria
Clofazimine	Lamprene	Antileprotic
Dapsone	Avlosulfon	Antileprotic
Capreomycin	Capastat	Antituberculosis
Cycloserine	Seromycin	Antituberculosis, urinary tract infections
Ethambutol(Bs)	Myambutol	Antituberculosis
Ethionamide	Trecator	Antituberculosis		Inhibits peptide synthesis
Isoniazid	I.N.H.	Antituberculosis
Pyrazinamide	Aldinamide	Antituberculosis
Rifampicin (Rifampin in US)	Rifadin, Rimactane	mostly Gram-positive and mycobacteria	Reddish-orange sweat, tears, and urine	Binds to the β subunit of RNA polymerase to inhibit transcription
Rifabutin	Mycobutin	Mycobacterium avium complex	Rash, discolored urine, GI symptoms
Rifapentine	Priftin	Antituberculosis
Streptomycin		Antituberculosis	Neurotoxicity, ototoxicity	As other aminoglycosides
Others
Arsphenamine	Salvarsan	Spirochaetal infections (obsolete)
Chloramphenicol(Bs)	Chloromycetin	Meningitis, MRSA, topical use, or for low-cost internal treatment. Historic: typhus, cholera. Gram-negative, Gram-positive, anaerobes	Rarely: aplastic anemia.	Inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S subunit of the ribosome
Fosfomycin	Monurol, Monuril	Acute cystitis in women	This antibiotic is not recommended for children and 75 and up of age	Inactivates enolpyruvyl transferase, thereby blocking cell wall synthesis
Fusidic acid	Fucidin
Metronidazole	Flagyl	Infections caused by anaerobic bacteria; also amoebiasis, trichomoniasis, giardiasis	Discolored urine, headache, metallic taste, nausea; alcohol is contraindicated	Produces toxic free radicals that disrupt DNA and proteins. This non-specific mechanism is responsible for its activity against a variety of bacteria, amoebae, and protozoa.
Mupirocin	Bactroban	Ointment for impetigo, cream for infected cuts		Inhibits isoleucine t-RNA synthetase (IleRS) causing inhibition of protein synthesis
Platensimycin
Quinupristin/Dalfopristin	Synercid
Thiamphenicol		Gram-negative, Gram-positive, anaerobes. Widely used in veterinary medicine.	Rash. Lacks known anemic side-effects.	A chloramphenicol analog. May inhibit bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S subunit of the ribosome
Tigecycline(Bs)	Tigacyl	Slowly Intravenous. Indicated for complicated skin/skin structure infections, soft tissue infections and complicated intra-abdominal infections. Effective for gram-positive, gram-negative, anaerobic, and against multi-antibiotic resistant bacteria (such as Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] and Acinetobacter baumannii), but not effective for Pseudomonas spp. and Proteus spp.	Teeth discoloration and same side effects as tetracycline. Not to be given to children and pregnant or lactating women.	Similar structure with tetracycline, but five times stronger, big volume distribution and long half-time in the body
Tinidazole	Tindamax Fasigyn	Protozoal infections	Upset stomach, bitter taste, and itchiness
Trimethoprim(Bs)	Proloprim, Trimpex	Urinary tract infections
Generic Name	Brand Names	Common Uses	Possible Side Effects	Mechanism of action

Note: (Bs): Bacteriostatic

Antibiotic candidates

These are antibiotic candidates, and known antibiotics that are not yet mass-produced.

Antibiotic candidates

Generic name	Origin	Susceptible phyla	Stage of development	Mechanism of action
Unclassified
Teixobactin	Eleftheria terrae	Gram-positive, including antibiotic resistant S. aureus and M. tuberculosis	No human trials scheduled	Binds fatty acid precursors to cell wall
Malacidins	Uncultured Bacterium	Gram-positive, including antibiotic resistant S. aureus	No human trials scheduled	Binds fatty acid precursors to cell wall
Halicin	Anti-diabetic drug	Clostridiodes difficile, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis	No human trials scheduled	Disrupts electrochemical gradient

See also

• Timeline of antibiotics, listed by year of introduction
• Pathogenic bacteria