Aminoglycosides · Pharmacology

The synergistic effect observed when combining an aminoglycoside with a cell-wall synthesis inhibitor (like Penicillin) is primarily due to:

  1. The beta-lactam increasing the permeability of the cell wall
  2. The beta-lactam preventing the degradation of the aminoglycoside
  3. The aminoglycoside inhibiting the beta-lactamase enzyme
  4. Increased renal clearance of both drugs
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Correct answer: The beta-lactam increasing the permeability of the cell wall

Beta-lactams damage the peptidoglycan layer of the bacterial cell wall. This allows the large, polar aminoglycoside molecules to enter the cytoplasm more easily, where they can reach their ribosomal targets.

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