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It has been suggested that an alteration of DNA function is possibly responsible for the post-antibiotic effect following the observation that most inhibitors of protein and nucleic acid synthesis (aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, clindamycin, certain newer macrolides/ketolides, and rifampicin and rifabutin) induce long-term ...
Antimicrobial use has been common practice for at least 2000 years. Ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks used specific molds and plant extracts to treat infection. [5]In the 19th century, microbiologists such as Louis Pasteur and Jules Francois Joubert observed antagonism between some bacteria and discussed the merits of controlling these interactions in medicine. [6]
Many of these inhibitors target a human enzyme and aim to correct a pathological condition. For instance, aspirin is a widely used drug that acts as a suicide inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase enzyme. [95] This inhibition in turn suppresses the production of proinflammatory prostaglandins and thus aspirin may be used to reduce pain, fever, and ...
[1] [2] They may either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. A limited number of antibiotics also possess antiprotozoal activity. [3] [4] Antibiotics are not effective against viruses such as the ones which cause the common cold or influenza. [5] Drugs which inhibit growth of viruses are termed antiviral drugs or antivirals.
β-Lactam antibiotics are indicated for the prevention and treatment of bacterial infections caused by susceptible organisms. At first, β-lactam antibiotics were mainly active only against gram-positive bacteria, yet the recent development of broad-spectrum β-lactam antibiotics active against various gram-negative organisms has increased their usefulness.
Bactericidals kill bacteria directly, whereas bacteriostatics prevent them from dividing. However, these classifications are based on laboratory behavior. The development of antibiotics has had a profound effect on the health of people for many years. Also, both people and animals have used antibiotics to treat infections and diseases.
The overall incidence of adverse drug reactions to sulfa antibiotics is approximately 3%, close to penicillin; [3] hence medications containing sulfonamides are prescribed carefully. Sulfonamide drugs were the first broadly effective antibacterials to be used systemically, and paved the way for the antibiotic revolution in medicine.
Doxycycline, like other tetracycline antibiotics, is bacteriostatic. It works by preventing bacteria from reproducing by inhibiting protein synthesis. [80] Doxycycline is highly lipophilic, so it can easily enter cells, meaning the drug is easily absorbed after oral administration and has a large volume of distribution.