Metronidazole | 443-48-1

Metronidazole is a nitroimidazole antibiotic first isolated in the 1950s. Many nitroimidazoles were being studied at the time, as the class was found to have trichomonacidal properties. Metronidazole was of particular interest due to its high activity against Trichomonas vaginalis and Entamoeba histolytica both in vitro and in vivo as well as clinical activity against many anaerobic pathogens including Gram-positive and Gramnegative bacteria and Giardia lamblia. Metronidazole is often used clinically for intra-abdominal infections and is the firstline treatment for Clostridium difficile–associated diarrhea.