Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other one labelled as Reason (R).
In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.
- Assertion (A) is True: $\beta$-lactam antibiotics (e.g., amoxicillin) are co-prescribed with clavulanic acid (e.g., Co-amoxiclav / Augmentin) to restore antibacterial efficacy against resistant pathogen strains.
- Reason (R) is True & Explains (A): Clavulanic acid is a suicide inhibitor (mechanism-based irreversible inhibitor) with structural homology to the $\beta$-lactam nucleus. It binds to the catalytic serine residue of bacterial $\beta$-lactamase enzymes, forming a stable covalent acyl-enzyme adduct that permanently inactivates the enzyme and protects the partner antibiotic.
- Conclusion: Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Correct option: (1) Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)