Abstract
Beta-lactam drugs hold a central place in the antibacterial arsenal, and the production of beta-lactamases by drug-resistant bacteria has severely compromised the effectiveness of nearly all available beta-lactams. Therefore, in the face of the increasing threat of drug resistance, the combined use of beta-lactamase inhibitors (BLIs) with beta-lactam antibiotics is crucial for treating infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. Hence, the development of BLIs has always been a hot topic in the field of medicinal chemistry. In recent years, significant progress has been made in screening active drugs by enhancing the affinity of inhibitors for enzymes and the stability of their complexes, based on the design concept of competitive inhibitors. Here, we review the effects and mechanisms of newly synthesized beta-lactamase inhibitors on various BLIs in recent years, to provide ideas for the development of subsequent beta-lactamase inhibitors.