Antibiotic - Types, Side Effects, Do's & Don'ts

The term antibiotics is the Greek word which is made of ‘anti’ and ‘biotic’ words, ‘anti’ means against and ‘biotic’ means life. Antibiotics are the compounds which are synthesized by fermentation process or by chemical process and it prevents growth of microbes. The term antibiotics is given by british scientist alexander fleming and it’s discovery created a golden era of natural products like antibiotic production. Against pathogenic microorganisms, antibiotics show two types of action; 1. Bacteriostatic and 2. Bactericidal action. In bacteriostatic action, bacteria are not killed by antibiotics but are not able to increase cell number. When in bactericidal action, bacteria are killed by antibiotics by different actions. And Some bacterial species are able to fight against or resist antibiotics, those bacteria called antibiotic resistant bacteria.

History Of Antibiotic

In 1910 the first antibiotic, salvarsan was developed by scientist Paul Ehrlich. Salvarsan antibiotics are made up of arsenic compounds. This antibiotic is used as a remedy for syphilis disease. But in 1928 a true antibiotic was discovered by Alexander Fleming, named penicillin.

Discovery Of Antibiotic

Alexander Fleming discovered this antibiotic accidentally, when he was doing their work he found mold preventing growth of staphylococcus aureus by producing such type of chemical compound; after that he studied and identified the chemical compound and he discovered a novel penicillin antibiotic. So, he formed this penicillin with the help of bacteria and fungi.

Father Of Antibiotic

Selman Abraham Waksman is the father of antibiotics and he discovered 20 natural antibiotics including streptomycin. Streptomycin effective against tuberculosis disease.

Effectiveness Of Penicillin

Generally penicillin is used for the treatment of infection caused by the pathogenic bacteria. Each type of antibiotic used for specific infection treatment.

It works by two ways, first - it can kill the bacteria and second - by preventing growth of bacteria.

Antibiotic Medicine Name

Chemically synthesized antibiotics include chloramphenicol, metronidazole, trimethoprim, phosphomycin, cotrimoxazol, quinolones, and sulphonamide.

Naturally produced antibiotic by bacteria and fungi includes cephalosporin, penicillin, erythromycin, geldanamycin, streptomycin, salvarsan, neosalvarsan, tetracycline, amphotericin, bacitracin and cephalosporin.

Production Of Antibiotic

Generally antibiotics are produced by fermentation process by using bacteria or fungi, and can be synthesized by using chemicals. Antibiotics produced by the batch fermentation process. Bacteria produce antibiotics as secondary metabolites during their growth.

Step of production:-

1. Production of antibiotic by fermentation process, and

2. Chemically synthesis of antibiotics.

A. Production of antibiotic by fermentation process

Following are the general steps for production of antibiotics by the fermentation process.

1. Culture isolation

Isolation of starter culture according to antibiotic production is required. Culture transferred into nutritive media.

2. Fermentation process

Transfer of fermenting material within the batch fermentor and incubation with controlled environment such as temperature, pH, aeration and agitation, availability of nutrition.

3. Isolation and Purification of antibiotics.

It can be done by the use of water, oil, and organic solvent. For example, pentyl acetate (is an organic solvent) used in purification of erythromycin antibiotic purification.

4. packaging

Antibiotics can be packed in the form of a capsule, tablet and filled within the vials.

B. Chemically synthesis of antibiotics

In the process of chemically production of antibiotics, the only difference is instead of nutritive median and starter culture we use chemicals.

Mode Of Action

Antibiotic affects bacteria on following ways such as,

1.Inhibition of cell wall synthesis

2.Change in cell membrane potential

3.Inhibits protein synthesis process

4.Inhibits nucleic acid synthesis

5.Inhibits metabolic pathway of bacteria

Classification Of Antibiotic

Antibiotics