Cefixime

**Semantic type:** Antibiotic|Organic Chemical|Pharmacologic Substance

**Definition:** A broad-spectrum, third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic derived semisynthetically from the marine fungus Cephalosporium acremonium with antibacterial activity. As does penicillin, the beta-lactam antibiotic cefixime inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by disrupting peptidoglycan synthesis, resulting in a reduction in bacterial cell wall stability and bacterial cell lysis. Stable in the presence of a variety of beta-lactamases, this agent is more active against gram-negative bacteria and less active against gram-positive bacteria compared to second-generation cephalosporins.

**Synonyms:** - CEFIXIME - Cefixime Trihydrate - FK 027 - Suprax - cefixime