Antibiotics-All You Need to Know

Antibiotics, also known as antibacterial or antimicrobial which is a powerful medicine are medications that destroy or slow down the growth of bacteria. Also used to treat Infectious diseases.

It also fights certain infections and can save lives when used properly. Antibiotics either stop reproduction of bacteria or destroy them.

Penicillin is a substance produced by fungi that appeared able to inhibit bacterial growth is the first and foremost antibiotic discovered by Alexander Fleming. In 1939, Howard Florey and Edward Chain further studied penicillin and later carried out trials of penicillin on humans.

One of the important fact to remember about antibiotics is it only work against infections that are caused by bacteria and certain parasites. Infections such as a cough, stuffy nose, bronchitis or the flu caused by viruses can't be treated using antibiotics.

Amoxicillin, cephalexin (Keflex), erythromycin (E-Mycin), ciprofolxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), and ofloxacin (Floxin), tetracycline, gentamicin are the majority classes of drugs used as Antibiotics.

How does the Antibiotics work?

·         Antibiotics usually interfere with the formation of the bacterium's cell wall or its cell contents which helps in killing the bacteria.

·         Multiplication of the bacteria is stopped.

Antibiotic resistance?

Resistance to antibiotics has become one of the major global health threat. Antibiotic resistance is developed when the any bacterium manages to survive with antibiotic treatment. It is caused by the neutralizing the medication where bacteria can multiply and pass on its medication-resistant properties to other bacteria.

For example, the bacterium called Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which is also known as a super bug which has become resistant to many different antibiotics and is difficult to treat. Other bacteria produce chemicals called enzymes such as extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) which allow them to be resistant to certain antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance can be overcome by taking them as long as doctor has prescribed.

Most common side effects of antibiotics:

·         Vomiting and Diarrhea

·         Sensitivity to sunlight (when taking tetracyclines)

·         Mouth, Digestive tract, and Vagina undergoes fungal infection

·         Blood disorders like abnormality in blood clotting (when taking trimethoprim)

·         Kidney stones (when taking sulfonamides)

·         Deafness (when taking erythromycin and the aminoglycosides)