ANTIBIOTICS

PROF. NAVEED ASLAM DOGAR

HISTORY:
 First antibiotic pencillin was discovered by
Alexender Flemming in 1928
 He was growing becterias in a petridish and he
noticed that suddenly becterias started to
disappear observing petridish under microscope
he realised that it was due to a fungi called
pencillium notatum
 So antibiotics are the compounds/substances/chemicals
to either kill or inhibit microrgnisms
 Antibiotics are specifically meant to work against
becteria which means that they don’t effect other cells of
body
 Antibiotics don’t work against viruses as viruses are
subcellullar particles i.e they comprise only of protiens
and DNA which means that they don’t have proper
cellular structure
CLASSIFICATION OF ANTIBIOTICS:
Major classes are:
Bectericidal antibiotics
‘’cidal means to kill’’ so bectericidals kill becteria

Becteriostatic antibioticcs
while ‘’static’’ means to stop so becteriostatic stop the
growth of becteria
Antibiotics can also be classified as
 Narrow spectrum

 Broad spectrum

 Narrow:effective against gram positive becteria

only
 Broad:effective against gram positive and few
gram negative becteria
CLASSIFICTION BASED ON MECHANISM
 Cell wall synthesis inhibitors:
 Includes :

 1.pencillins ex.pencillin v,pencillin g etc

 2.cephalosporins ex. 1st,2nd,3rd,4th generation

cephalosporins
 Protien synthesis inhibitors

 1.macrolides ex.erythromycin

 2.tetracyclines ex.doxycycline etc

 3.floroquinolones ex.ciprofloxacillin

 4.sulphonamides ex.cotrimoxazole

 5.aminoglycosides ex. gentamycin

MECHANISM OF ACTION
 By inhibiting cell wall synthesis ex:pencillins
 By inhibiting protien synthesis ex:tetracyclines

ANTIBIOTICS RESISTANCE
 lack of responsiveness in becterias towards them

 It arises due to alternation in structure of becteria

 Plasmids carry genes for resistance

SIDE EFFECTS
 Every antibiotic has its specific side effects but major
side effects are
 Nausea
 Vomitting
 Diarrhoea
 Toxicity
 Allergic reactions :rashes etc
 Gastrointestinal upsets
PRECAUTIONS
 No self medication
 Completing the course of antibiotic to avoid
resistance
 Low potency to high potency

 Care should be taken and patient should be

monitored for allergic reactions