Antibiotics, also known as antibacterials, are types of medications that destroy or
slow down the growth of bacteria. The Greek word anti means "against", and the Greek word bios means "life" (bacteria are life forms). Antibiotics are among the most frequently prescribed medications in modern medicine. Antibiotics cure disease by killing or injuring bacteria. The first antibiotic was penicillin, discovered accidentally from a mold culture. Today, over 100 different antibiotics are available to cure minor, as well as lifethreatening infections. Although antibiotics are useful in a wide variety of infections, it is important to reali!e that antibiotics only treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics are useless against viral infections "for e#ample, the common cold$ and fungal infections "such as ringworm$. %our doctor can best determine if an antibiotic is right for your condition. The first antibiotic was penicillin. &uch penicillinrelated antibiotics as ampicillin, amo#icillin and ben!yl penicilllin are widely used today to treat a variety of infections these antibiotics have been around for a long time. Types of Antibiotics Although there are well over 100 antibiotics, the majority come from only a few types of drugs. These are the main classes of antibiotics. 'enicillins such as penicillin and amo#icillin (ephalosporins such as cephale#in")efle#$ *acrolides such as erythromycin "+*ycin$, clarithromycin ",ia#in$, and a!ithromycin "-ithroma#$. .luoroquinolones such as ciproflo#acin "(ipro$, levoflo#acin "/evaquin$, and oflo#acin ".lo#in$. &ulfonamides such as cotrimo#a!ole ",actrim$ and trimethoprim "'roloprim$ Tetracyclines such as tetracycline"&umycin, 'anmycin$ and do#ycycline"0ibramycin$ Aminoglycosides such as gentamicin "1aramycin$ and tobramycin "Tobre#$ *ost antibiotics have 2 names, the trade or brand name, created by the drug company that manufactures the drug, and a generic name, based on the antibiotic3s chemical structure or chemical class. Trade names such as )efle# and -ithroma# are capitali!ed. 1enerics such as cephale#in and a!ithromycin are not capitali!ed. How do antibiotics work? &ome antibiotics work by killing bacteria or the parasite. This is often done by interfering with the structure of the cell wall of the bacterium or parasite. &ome work by stopping bacteria or the parasite from multiplying. ew Antibiotics !lass Generic"#rand /ipopeptides 4aptomycin "(ubicin$, 2005 .luoroquinolone 1emiflo#acin ".active$, 2005 /ipoglycopeptides Telavancin "0ibativ$, 2006 (ephalosporin "7th generation$ (eftaroline "Teflaro$, 2010 *acrocyclics .ida#omicin "4ificid$, 2011 $%&actam Antibiotics ,etalactam antibiotics include penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems. 'enicillins Generic #rand ame Amo#icillin Amo#il, 'olymo#, Trimo#, 8ymo# Ampicillin 9mnipen, 'olycillin, 'olycillin:, 'rincipen, Totacillin ntibiotics work in two different ways either by killing the bacteria or blocking its function. They only attack the bacterial population present in the body and causing the disease, they do not affect the cell of the body. It is an unfortunate fact that though antibiotics are being used constantly but now bacteria have developed resistance against these drugs. It is a very natural process that new antibiotics with more effectiveness are being developed and bacterial genome is revolutionizing against these newly synthesized antibiotics. An antibiotic has also the ability to convert glucose in the body into energy. It produces a protective wall against bacteria and does not allow them to enter the cell. It also protects the body from further infection and prevents the bacteria to multiply in number. Though antibiotics are useful in curing the human body against bacterial infections but they also have some side effects. A patient can suffer from slight headache to extreme allergic reaction. Another side effect is diarrhea in which the balance of the intestinal flora gets affected and disrupts the function of the useful bacteria present in the intestine. In some cases, antibiotics can react with other drugs administered along with them and cause other infections. In the past before the discovery of antibiotics, the diseases like cholera and diarrhea would be fatal as these diseases dehydrate the body and makes the individual weak. Antibiotics have the credit of saving so many lives by killing the microbes causing certain diseases. In the disease of tuberculosis, antibiotics play an important role in eradicating the bacteria. To protect the patient from having side effects, doctors prescribe such antibiotics which suit persons body. A summary of the main effector defense mechanisms against extracellular bacteria. Bacteria that avoid destruction by the classical or alternative complement pathways may be opsonized by acute phase reactants or specific antibodies and engulfed by phagocytes expressing receptors for the Fc region of these antibodies. he first generation cephalosporins include; Their spectrums of activity are quite similar. They possess generally e#cellent coverage against most grampositive pathogens and variable to poor coverage against most gram negative pathogens. The first generation includes; cephalothin cefa!olin cephapirin cephradine cephale#in cefadro#il The second generation cephalosporins. <n addition to the gram positive spectrum of the first generation cephalosporins, these agents have e#panded gram negative spectrum. (efo#itin and cefotetan also have good activity against ,acteroides fragilis. +nough variation e#ists between the second generation cephalosporins in regard to their spectrums of activity against most species of gram negative bacteria, that susceptibility testing is generally required to determine sensitivity. The second generation includes; o cefaclor o cefamandole o cefonicid o ceforanide o cefuro#ime The third generation cephalosporins have much e#panded gram negative activity. =owever, some members of this group have decreased activity against grampositive organisms. They have the advantage of convenient administration, but they are e#pensive.