Tazobactam is a pharmaceutical drug that inhibits the action of bacterial lactamases, especially those belonging to the SHV-1 and TEM groups. It is commonly used as its sodium salt, tazobactam sodium.
Tazobactam is combined with the extended spectrum lactam antibiotic piperacillin in the drug piperacillin/tazobactam, used in infections due Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Tazobactam broadens the spectrum of piperacillin by making it effective against organisms that express lactamase and would normally degrade piperacillin.
Tazobactam is a heavily modified penicillin and a sulfone.