rifampicin + pyrazinamide + ethambutol

rifampicin + pyrazinamide + ethambutol (commonly referred to as the REZ or RZE regimen) is a three-drug antimycobacterial combination regimen used for the treatment of tuberculosis, particularly in patients with isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis (Hr-TB) or those who cannot tolerate isoniazid. The regimen consists of three first-line antitubercular agents with distinct mechanisms of action to prevent the development of drug resistance. Rifampicin is a rifamycin antibiotic that inhibits bacterial DNA-directed RNA polymerase, thereby blocking RNA transcription. Pyrazinamide is a prodrug converted to pyrazinoic acid, which targets aspartate decarboxylase (PanD) and ribosomal protein S1 (RpsA), disrupting coenzyme A synthesis and trans-translation. Ethambutol is a bacteriostatic agent that inhibits arabinosyl transferases, disrupting mycobacterial cell wall synthesis. This combination is typically administered orally as separate tablets over a period of 6 to 9 months.

Other names

REZREZ regimenRZERZE regimenrifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutolrifampin + pyrazinamide + ethambutolrifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol