How it works

Cephalexin is an antibiotic that can be used to treat infections caused by bacteria that are susceptible to it.

Cephalexin works by binding to and inhibiting the activity of enzymes that produce peptidoglycan, a component of the bacterial cell wall. Cephalexin is bactericidal (it kills bacteria) and functions similarly to penicillins. Cephalexin is known as a broad-spectrum antibiotic because it kills a wide variety of bacteria.

Cephalexin belongs to the cephalosporin antibiotic class. Cephalexin is a first-generation cephalosporin that primarily kills gram-positive bacteria.