Augmentin is a combination of the well-known antibiotic amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium, a beta lactamase inhibitor. Despite amoxicillin's effectiveness against a wide range of bacterial pathogens, the antibiotic is known to be degraded by beta lactamase enzymes. As a result, bacteria that produce these enzymes are not susceptible to the antibiotic effects of amoxicillin.Clavulanate, itself a beta lactam, is capable of blocking beta lactamase active sites, thus preventing the enzymes from degrading the amoxicillin and rendering otherwise resistant bacteria susceptible to its antibiotic effects.Augmentin is used regularly in clinical medicine as an effective treatment for infections bacteria that produce beta lactamase, including E. coli. Common infections in which Augmentin is indicated as a treatment include urinary tract infections (UTI), sinusitis and lower respiratory tract infections.