Antibiotics – types, action, use and side effects [EXPLAIN]

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Be careful with antibiotics! Antibiotics found themselves in an extremely difficult situation. Used without moderation, they mobilized their target, i.e. bacteria, which became stronger and more resistant in a situation of constant war. However, the pharmaceutical industry is not eager to develop new drugs in this group. It is too risky and a costly business. Therefore, it is time to select antibiotics. The ones we have.

Antibiotics are used to treat any bacterial infections. It is not uncommon for antibiotics to be used prophylactically to prevent bacterial infections, for example in cases of low immunity.

The etymology of the word antibiotic is derived from two Latin words and refers to their lethal nature of the action. The word antibiotic consists of two parts, “anti” or against, and “bios” or life. As early as the XNUMXth century, scientists knew that some organisms could counteract the growth of bacteria. This phenomenon was called antibiotics.

If you want to know the most common myths about antibiotics, check out Six Myths About Antibiotics

History of antibiotics – penicillin

The first antibiotic – penicillin (from the name of the mold Penicilium notebook) – was created by accident in 1928. Mold has crept into the breeding of staphylococci led by the British scientist Alexander Fleming, which – as it turned out – destroyed the bacteria. This discovery, considered the most important in the last century, caused great optimism. And yet Fleming himself warned against the phenomenon of bacterial resistance. He noticed that after several generations helpless against antibiotics, bacteria suddenly appeared resistant to them. However, even in the 50s, penicillin was available over the counter in American pharmacies and drugstores (it was used like aspirin), and in the 70s it was believed that it would soon be possible to develop an “antibiotic for all bacteria”. The euphoria was fueled by the discovery that peptic ulcer disease, and possibly a heart attack, was caused by bacteria. So it is enough to give patients an antibiotic to protect them from these ailments.

Today it is already known that antibiotics used badly and in excess over the years had the opposite effect from what was intended – they strengthened some strains of bacteria, turning them into mutants. It turned out that these microorganisms easily adapt to the new situation. And that means their survival. Bacteria are also empowered by the fact that antibiotics are used in animal husbandry, which strengthens them and makes them grow. This means the production of drug-resistant microorganisms that “screw” into our body along with food. In response to this, there is a ban on the use of antibiotics as feed additives in many countries.

Find out more about the new antibiotics here: A breakthrough in the fight against superbugs? New antibiotics

Infectious diseases are treated by killing the microorganisms that cause the disease. Researchers list the main mechanisms of action of antibiotics. Belong to them:

1. interfering with the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, an example of which is penicillin;
2. impaired permeability of the bacterial cell membrane, an example of which is gramicidin;
3. interfering with the synthesis of nucleic acids, including inhibition of folate biosynthesis necessary for DNA synthesis, inhibition at various stages, e.g. trimethoprim, and inhibition of topoisomerases, as exemplified by ciprofloxacin;
4. interfering with protein synthesis as exemplified by streptomycin;
5. harmful effect on the human bacterial flora.

To support the development and operation of the beneficial intestinal microflora, probiotics, eg LactoDr, should be used during and after the use of the antibiotic. in capsules available on Medonet Market or Probiotic + prebiotic Oxeo GG, which you can only buy now at a promotional price.

You can read more about the natural human bacterial flora here: Microscopic tenants of our bodies

Types of antibiotics

Antibiotics with various names and properties are available on the medical market today. This is due to the fact that they differ in their chemical structure. Therefore, due to the criterion of chemical structure, the following types of antibiotics are distinguished:

1. β-lactams, i.e. penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, trinems, penems and β-lactamase inhibitors. Β-lactamase inhibitors are usually non-bactericidal but are used in combination with other antibiotics;
2. aminoglycosides, that is: streptidine aminoglycosides, deoxystreptamine aminoglycosides and aminocyclitols;
3. peptide antibiotics, that is: polypeptides, streptogramins, glycopeptides, lipopeptides, glycolipopeptides, glycolipodepsipeptides;
4. tetracyclines, that is: tetracyclines proper and glycylcyclines;
5. macrolides;
6. lincosamides;
7. Phenicole;
8. rifamycin;
9. pleuromutyliny;
10. in pyrocyna;
11. fusidic acid.

In medicine, other criteria for the classification of antibiotics are also used. Among them, the following are indicated:

1. the degree of absorption of the antibiotic – antibiotics are absorbed into the body from the intestines to a varying degree. Therefore, some antibiotics are administered intravenously or intramuscularly. Antibiotics that are well absorbed from the digestive system include macrolides, chloramphenicol and tetracyclines. Ampicillin, griseofulvin and lincomycin are much less absorbed. On the other hand, parenterally, IV generation cephalosporins, most of the aminoglycosides, polymyxins, monobactams and carbapenems should be administered;
2. ease of penetration into tissues – some antibiotics penetrate the tissues very quickly, while some penetrate very slowly. This criterion limits the use of selected antibiotics for certain infections. The factors that determine the rate of penetration into tissues are the lipophilicity of the antibiotic molecule, the ability of the antibiotic to bind to blood proteins, and the pH of the target site. Tetracyclines, chloramphenicol and macrolides are among the antibiotics that penetrate rapidly into the tissues. In turn, poorly penetrate the tissues: polymyxins, gentamicin and streptomycin;
3. the route of excretion of the antibiotic – most antibiotics are excreted from the body in the urine. Some of them are excreted in the bile. When selecting antibiotics for a given patient, it is necessary to take into account his chronic diseases, especially those related to the malfunctioning of the kidneys. The antibiotics that are excreted in the urine include gentamicin, vancomycin, viomycin and chloramphenicol. On the other hand, rifampicin and macrolides are excreted in the bile.

Taking an antibiotic should be associated with the probiotic protection of the body. Order Probiotic for use during Lactibiane ATB antibiotic therapy available on Medonet Market. It contains a probiotic strain: Lactobacillus rhamnosus LA 801.

You can read more about how antibiotics work here: Antibiotics don’t work

Antibiotics – getting more and more expensive and less effective

The Portuguese, Spaniards, Italians, Belgians and French buy the most antibiotics. In turn, their popularity in Poland results not only from the belief in their miracle, but also from the relatively low price – because they are all on the list of reimbursed drugs.

But it is not only the patients who force the prescription of antibiotics in individual treatment not only to be “guilty”. The sin of excess is also committed by the doctors themselves in collective treatment. In Polish hospitals, the costs of antibiotic treatment reach up to 30% of the facility’s budget, while in Europe it does not exceed 15%. The overuse of antibiotics in hospitals causes patients to be weakened and the bacteria (the survivors) to become stronger than ever. In the next clash with them, man has to lose.

Due to the enormous cost of research into new compounds and the equally high cost of clinical trials, pharmaceutical companies are less and less interested in investing in new antibiotics. Doctors have a choice of a fixed group of these drugs. They have to choose more and more carefully, so that the antibiotic heals, not weakens.

Do you know how the sugar antibiotic works? Check it out: Sugar antibiotic

Antibiotics – do not blindly fight bacteria

Bacteria are like hidden mines in our body. Drug-resistant strains hide in mucous membranes for years. Some do not cause any symptoms in their carriers, but when transferred to another organism or, for example, in the postoperative decline in immunity, they become active and may even kill.

The war of antibiotics against bacteria is exciting. It is like a battle in which the balance of victory tends to one side and the other. To save a patient whose body develops a bacterial infection, antibiotics are used. And they work, but blindly. By destroying the bad bacteria, they also kill the good ones. They also create free space for new, more drug-resistant ones. The bacteria themselves are not idle either: they change their metabolism so that the antibiotic cannot damage them, or they intentionally damage the drug themselves.

What weapon does medicine have in this fight? Today you can use the so-called targeted therapy, i.e. one that hits the “guilty” bacteria, damaging the body as little as possible. It’s also important to be clear that only an antibiotic can help. There are microbiological tests available for sale (price around PLN 20), which make it possible to distinguish within a few minutes, for example, bacterial pharyngitis (where an antibiotic should be administered) from a viral one, in which such therapy will not help, but will only weaken the body. In France, such tests are reimbursed. It has been calculated that it is cheaper than the cost of treating complications of antibiotic therapy. Unfortunately, such calculations have not yet been carried out in Poland.

What is an antibiogram? Check: Antibiogram

After finding a bacterial infection, it is most often recommended to perform a culture and antibiogram to check which bacteria caused the infection and to which antibiotic is the least resistant. Usually, the culture is performed when the previously used drugs are not working.

The absolute indications for the use of antibiotics are: bacterial infection of the respiratory tract, urinary tract, wound infection. They should never be used for preventive purposes. In the initial stage, you have to try to overcome the infection with rest, diet and antiviral drugs. If this does not help, antibiotics are introduced after at least three days. These drugs are used to treat, for example, strep throat, but not colds and flu, caused by viruses. We should repeat this like a mantra so that after the first cough or runny nose, we do not immediately reach for an antibiotic.

For more information on viruses, see Viruses – Now Allies

2. Antibiotics must be washed down with water. Not recommended: milk, because it is a source of calcium with which antibiotics bind; tea – contains tannins; coffee – accelerates intestinal peristalsis and the antibiotic may not be absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract; grapefruit juice, as it enhances the effect of the drug. Also, do not dissolve them in food.

3. Do not take an antibiotic “just in case”, because we feel cold, use the leftovers “after the previous treatment”. A complete treatment is needed with a well-chosen preparation.

4. Antibiotics must be taken under the cover of the bacterial florathat is, appropriate medications or yoghurts to prevent the loss of immunity. A cover for the body may be available at any pharmacy with probiotics. They are used two hours after the antibiotic and for three days after the end of the basic treatment. At Medonet Market, you can now order a high-quality probiotic to support the intestinal bacterial flora. The SOLHERBS brand offers Lactobacillus Max – a dietary supplement supporting the body in the case of infectious or post-antibiotic diarrhea. Also try N ° 1 ProBiotic – a new generation probiotic preparation. Its production is based on a modern and patented technology of microencapsulation with a plant matrix of fatty acids, ensuring the safety of bacteria in the digestive tract.

Antibiotics – possible side effects

Antibiotics are a group of drugs that are relatively safe to use, but as with any other drug, they can cause side effects. There are three main groups of side effects that antibiotics can cause:

1. direct toxic effect that is characteristic of specific antibiotics. Antibiotics can be toxic to the kidneys, liver, bone marrow and the structures of the inner ear;
2. allergic reactions, the strength and intensity of which vary with the drug used. Allergic reactions that may occur include: skin rashes, edema, fever, anaphylactic shock;
3. dysbacteriosis and their consequences. When using antibiotics, there is a risk of a significant reduction in the natural bacterial flora of humans. This can disrupt digestion and nutrient absorption. This, in turn, affects vitamin deficiencies and the possibility of superinfection. Superinfections can be dangerous to human health and, in extreme cases, even lead to death. 

If the subsequent taken antibiotics cause allergic reactions, it is worth performing an antibiotic allergy diagnosis available at Medonet Market at an attractive price.

Consultation: lek. med. Małgorzata Perkowska, NZOZ Promedica 2000, Warsaw.