A lytic cocktail is a combination of drugs used to treat an infection. The cocktail typically contains a beta-lactam antibiotic, such as ampicillin, and a drug that disrupts the cell wall, such as vincristine. The antibiotic kills the bacteria, while the cell wall disruptor damages the cell wall, causing the bacteria to lyse, or burst.

Lytic cocktails are used to treat a variety of infections, including pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. The cocktails are also used to treat infections caused by …