The current state of research, development, and use of macrolides as a treatment option for bacterial infections is the subject of this monograph. Macrolides, whose first representative (erythromycin) was introduced into the market in the 1950s, have been optimised by various companies into effective, safe, and convenient treatments with overwhelming success. Various compounds, such as azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and roxithromycin, are in current effective use for treatment of infections mainly of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urogenital tracts and skin and soft tissues. A highly competitive research environment and critical medical need for improved macrolides have led to various new scaffolds and derivatives such as the ketolides ABT-773 and telithromycin, which are in development or in the regulatory process for market approval. The individual chapters cover aspects of microbiology, clinical use and experience, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, biochemistry, and chemistry. They are written by leading experts in their respective fields.Thus, readers - whether they are professionals in the pharmaceutical industry, physicians treating infections, or biochemists, chemists, pharmacologists or microbiologists at hospitals, health institutes, or universities - will find a detailed and up-to-date knowledge base about current research activities and a sound, stimulating overview of the compound class.
