Specificity
This antibody reacts mainly with the hiazolidine ring of penicillin, but not with the lactam ring. May react with the fused beta lactam/thiazolidine ring of the penicilloyl group and would appear sensitive to modification of the shared N atom of the lactam/thiazolidine ring by substitution or conjugation. It appears insensitive to the structure of the side chain of the penicilloyl group. This antibody reacts with the following penicillin; Benzylpenicillin, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin and 6-Aminopenicillanic acids. Penicillin is a group of Beta-lactam antibiotics used in the treatment of bacterial infections caused by susceptible, usually Gram-positive, organisms. -lactam antibiotics work by inhibiting the formation of peptidoglycan cross-links in the bacterial cell wall, which results in cytolysis. This antibody is useful in the study of allergy to penicillin.