macrolide
[ măk′rə-līd′ ]
Any of a class of organic compounds containing a large lactone ring made up of twelve or more members.
Any of a class of antibiotics having a macrolide ring structure linked to one or more sugars. Macrolides are produced by actinomycete bacteria of the genus Streptomyces and act by inhibiting protein synthesis. Erythromycin is a macrolide.