Types of Antibiotics

 Antibiotic

Antibiotics are the antimicrobial agents that performs bactericidal and bacteriostatic activities. It is used in fighting against bacterial infection in animals and other living things. so antibiotics are widely used in medication of infection of disease. some of antibiotic have antiprotozoal effect also but antibiotic couldn't fight against virus.

Antibiotics are generally classified according to their mode of action. 

Bactericidal 

Bacteriostatic

Bactericidal Antibiotics

1. Beta- Lactams

This antibiotics are mostly used in NHS. It contains Beta- Lactams rings and it inhibits bacterial cell wall biosynthesis. e.g. Amoxicillin, flucoxacillin, Ampicillin, cephalosparin.

2. Aminoglycosides 

This antibiotics are family of over 20 antibiotics which contains all amino sugar structure. Aminoglycosides inhibits synthesis of protein, leading to cell death. e.g. Streptomycin, Neomycin, Kenamycin, paramomycin

3. Glycopeptides

This antibiotics are common "Drugs of last resort". they are the carbohydrates linked with peptide bond which inhibit synthesis of bacterial cell wall. e.g. Vancomycin, Teicoplanin.

4. Quinolones

In this antibiotics resistance evolve rapidly. Quinolones contains fused aromatic ring with carboxylic acid group attached. they interfere bacteria DNA replication and transcription. e.g. ciprofloxacin, livofloxacin, trovafloxacin.

5. Ansamycins

This antibiotic can also demonstrate antiviral activities. it contains aromatic ring bridged by aliphatic chain. they inhibit the synthesis of RNA by bacteria , leading to cell death. e.g. Geldanamycin,  Rifamycin, Naphthomycin.

6. Streptogramins 

They are two groups of antibiotics that acts synergistically. It is a combination of two structural differing compounds. streptogramins inhibits the synthesis of protein by bacteria, leading cell death. e.g. Pristinamycin IIA, pristinamycin IA.

7. Lipopeptide

The instance of resistance of lipopeptides is rare. In lipopeptides lipid is bounded to a peptide. they disrupt multiple cell membrane function, leading cell death.  e.g.  Deaptomycin, Surfactin 

Bacteriostatic Antibiotic

1. Chloramphenicol 

This mostly used in low income country to treat conjunctivitis (primarily). they inhibits synthesis of protein which prevents bacterial cell growth.

2. Oxazolidinones

They are potent used as drugs of last resort which contain two oxazolidone. they inhibits synthesis of protein by bacteria preventing growth. e.g. Linezolid, posizolid, Tedizolid, cycloseine.

3. Sulfonamides

They are first commercially used antibiotic. It contains sulfonamides groups. It do not kill bacteria but prevent their growth and multiplication but this groups of antibiotic also have some allergic reaction. e.g. prontosil, sulfanilamide, sulfadiazine, sulfisoxazole.

4. Tetracycline

This groups of antibiotic is becoming less popular because of developing resistance. all tetracycline contains 4 adjacent cyclic hydrocarbon ring. they inhibits synthesis of bacteria. e.g. Tetracycline, Oxytetracycline, Doxycycline, Limecycline.

5. Macrolides

They are second most prescribed antibiotic in NHS which contain alpha -14,15,16 membered macrolide ring. they inhibit protein synthesis by bacteria leading to cell death. e.g. Erythromycin, Azithromycin, clarithromycin.

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