Desosamine
Desosamine
Chemical compound
Desosamine is a 3-(dimethylamino)-3,4,6-trideoxyhexose found in certain macrolide antibiotics (contain a high level of microbial resistance) such as the commonly prescribed erythromycin,[1][2] azithromycin, clarithroymcin, methymycin, narbomycin, oleandomycin, picromycin and roxithromycin. As the name suggests, these macrolide antibiotics contain a macrolide or lactone ring and they are attached to the ring Desosamine which is crucial for bactericidal activity.[3] The biological action of the desosamine-based macrolide antibiotics is to inhibit the bacterial ribosomal protein synthesis.[4] These antibiotics which contain Desosamine are widely used to cure bacterial-causing infections in human respiratory system, skin, muscle tissues, and urethra.