Tag: Cell wall inhibitor

Approximately 10% of U.S. patients report a penicillin allergy, yet fewer than 1% of the population is truly allergic, demonstrating the widespread, though sometimes misunderstood, use of this antibiotic. While this is a common misconception, the core mechanism of this life-saving drug is clear: yes, penicillin is a cell wall inhibitor that disrupts bacterial cell integrity.

First approved for use in the United States in 2001, the echinocandins represent a newer, potent class of antifungal drugs. As large lipopeptide molecules, a key feature of an echinocandin is its ability to selectively attack fungal cells by disrupting the cell wall, a critical structure that is absent in humans.