Cefotaxime Sodium

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

**Definition:** The sodium salt form of cefotaxime, a beta-lactam, third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic with bactericidal activity. Cefotaxime sodium binds to and inactivates penicillin-binding proteins (PBP) located on the inner membrane of the bacterial cell wall. Inactivation of PBPs interferes with the cross-linking of peptidoglycan chains necessary for bacterial cell wall strength and rigidity. This results in the weakening of the bacterial cell wall and causes cell lysis. Compared to the second and first generation cephalosporins, cefotaxime sodium is more active against gram-negative bacteria and less active against gram-positive bacteria.

**Synonyms:** - CEFOTAXIME SODIUM - Claforan