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clavulanic acid

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noun clav·u·lan·ic acid \ˌklav-yə-ˌlan-ik-\

Medical Definition of clavulanic acid

: a beta-lactam antibiotic C₈H₉NO₅ produced by a bacterium of the genus Streptomyces (S. clavuligerus) that is a beta-lactamase inhibitor and is usually used in the form of its clavulanate salt of potassium especially in combination with amoxicillin—see augmentin

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