The macrolides are a group of drugs (typically antibiotics) whose activity stems from the presence of a macrolide ring, a large macrocyclic lactone ring to which one or more deoxy sugars, usually cladinose and desosamine, may be attached.
The lactone rings are usually 14, 15 or 16-membered. Macrolides belong to the polyketide class of natural products.
Members
Common antibiotic macrolides
Azithromycin (Zithromax, Zitromax, Sumamed) - Unique, does not inhibit CYP3A4 Clarithromycin (Biaxin) Dirithromycin (Dynabac) Erythromycin Roxithromycin (Rulid, Surlid,Roxid) Telithromycin
Developmental macrolides
Carbomycin A Josamycin Kitasamycin Midecamicine/midecamicine acetate Oleandomycin Spiramycin Troleandomycin Tylosin/tylocine (Tylan)
Ketolides
Ketolides are a new class of antibiotics that are structurally related to the macrolides. They are used to fight respiratory tract infections caused by macrolide-resistant bacteria.
Telithromycin (Ketek) Cethromycin Others include spiramycin (used for treating toxoplasmosis), ansamycin, oleandomycin, carbomycin and tylocine.
Non-antibiotic macrolides
The drugs tacrolimus (Prograf) and sirolimus which are used as immunosuppressants, are also macrolide. They have similar activity to cyclosporin.
Toxic macrolides
A variety of toxic macrolides produced by bacteria have been isolated and characterized, such as the mycolactones.