NCIt definition : A cyclic polypeptide isolated from Streptomyces capreolus with antitubercular activity.
Even though the exact mechanism by which capreomycin exerts its effect has yet to
be fully elucidated, this agent may bind to the bacterial 50S subunit of the 70S ribosome.
This leads to interference with the translational initiation complex, misreading of
mRNA, and eventually leads to inhibition of protein synthesis. In addition, capreomycin
also binds bacterial cell wall components thereby inhibiting cell wall synthesis.;