A first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic that disrupts bacterial cell wall synthesis, commonly used to treat skin and soft tissue infections, urinary tract infections, and respiratory infections. It's well-tolerated and available in oral form for outpatient treatment.
From 'cephal-' (Greek for 'head', referring to the cephalosporium fungus from which cephalosporins were first isolated) + '-exin', a suffix used in antibiotic nomenclature. Developed in the 1960s as part of the beta-lactam antibiotic family.
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