Nalidixic acid

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Nalidixic acid

Nalidixic acid (tradenames Neggram and Wintomylon) is the basis for quinolone

Quinolone

The quinolones are a family of chemical synthesis broad-spectrum antibiotics. The wikt:parent compound of the group is nalidixic acid. The majority of quinolones in clinical use belong to the subset of fluoroquinolones, which have a fluorine atom attached the central ring system, typically at the 6-position....
antibiotic

Antibiotic

In common usage, an antibiotic is a substance or compound that kills or inhibits the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics belong to the group of antimicrobial compounds used to treat infections caused by microorganisms, including fungus and protozoa....
s.

Nalidixic acid is effective against both gram-positive

Gram-positive

Gram-positive Bacteria are those that are stained dark blue or violet by Gram staining. This is in contrast to Gram-negative bacteria, which cannot retain the crystal violet stain, instead taking up the counterstain and appearing red or pink....
and gram-negative

Gram-negative

Gram-negative bacteria are those bacteria that do not retain crystal violet dye in the Gram staining protocol. In a Gram stain test, a counterstain is added after the crystal violet, coloring all Gram-negative bacteria with a red or pink color....
bacteria. In lower concentrations, it acts in a bacteriostatic manner; that is, it inhibits growth and reproduction. In higher concentrations, it is bactericidal, meaning that it kills bacteria instead of merely inhibiting their growth.

It is especially used in treating urinary tract infections, caused, for example, by Escherichia coli
Escherichia coli

'Escherichia coli' , is a Gram negative bacterium that is commonly found in the lower gastrointestinal tract of warm-blooded animals. Most E....
, Proteus
Proteus (bacterium)

Proteus is a genus of Gram-negative Proteobacteria....
, Shigella
Shigella

Shigella is a genus of Gram-negative, Endospore rod-shaped bacterium closely related to Escherichia coli and Salmonella. The causative agent of human shigellosis, Shigella cause disease in primates, but not in other mammals....
, Enterobacter
Enterobacter

Enterobacter is a genus of common Gram-negative, Facultative anaerobic organism, bacillus bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae. Several strains of the these bacteria are pathogen and cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised hosts....
, and Klebsiella
Klebsiella

Klebsiella is a genus of motility, Gram-negative, Oxidase test rod shaped bacteria with a prominent polysaccharide-based Capsule . Frequent human pathogens, Klebsiella organisms can lead to a wide range of disease states, notably pneumonia, urinary tract infections, septicemia, Ankylosing spondylitis, and soft tissue infections....
.. It is also a tool in studies as a regulation of bacterial division.