Oxazolidinones are a class of synthetic antibiotics that have primarily been used to combat Gram-positive bacterial infections. The most well-known oxazolidinone is linezolid, which has been used clinically to treat infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other resistant bacteria. These compounds work by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis, specifically targeting the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome.
