Erythromycin, the first macrolide antibiotic discovered, has been used since the early 1950s
for the treatment of upper respiratory tract and skin and soft tissue infections caused by
susceptible organisms, especially in patients who are allergic to penicillin. Several
drawbacks, however, have limited the use of erythromycin, including frequent
gastrointestinal intolerance and a short serum half-life. Advanced macrolide antimicrobials
synthesized by altering the erythromycin base have resulted in compounds with broader …