Amoxicillin is combined with what component to create Augmentin?

Amoxicillin is combined with clavulanic acid to create Augmentin. This combination is significant because clavulanic acid is a beta-lactamase inhibitor that protects amoxicillin from being broken down by certain bacteria that produce beta-lactamase enzymes. These enzymes can render penicillin-type antibiotics ineffective, which is why the addition of clavulanic acid extends the spectrum of amoxicillin's activity against resistant bacteria. By including this component, Augmentin is able to treat infections that might not respond to amoxicillin alone due to the presence of beta-lactamase-producing organisms.

The other compounds listed do not serve the same function: cephalexin is another antibiotic that is not combined with amoxicillin but rather belongs to a different class; metronidazole is an antibiotic effective against anaerobic bacteria and certain parasites, which does not inhibit beta-lactamase; and tazobactam is another beta-lactamase inhibitor that is combined with different penicillins, such as piperacillin, rather than amoxicillin in Augmentin.