ethambutol

Ethambutol is a bacteriostatic small molecule antituberculosis agent primarily used in combination with other drugs to treat active tuberculosis (TB), including pulmonary and extrapulmonary forms. It is also used for infections caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria such as Mycobacterium avium complex and Mycobacterium kansasii. Ethambutol acts by inhibiting arabinosyltransferases (embA, embB, embC), enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell wall components arabinogalactan and lipoarabinomannan. This disruption impairs cell wall formation and increases permeability, ultimately inhibiting bacterial growth[1][4][5][6]. Ethambutol was first described in 1961 and approved for use in 1967. It is included on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines[5].

Brand names

MyambutolEtibiServambutol

Other names

(2S,2’S)-2,2’-(Ethane-1,2-diyldiimino)dibutan-1-ol