A Chemical That Works Against Life
Antibiotics (sometimes called antibacterials) are a strong group of medicines that are used to treat infections caused by bacteria and certain parasites. The term antibiotics comes from the Greek terms “anti” (which means “against”) and “bios” (which means “life”) While our scientific knowledge of antibiotics has only recently been developed, the practical application of antibiotics has existed for centuries. Many ancient cultures, including the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks, used specially selected mold, plants and extracts to treat infections. The first known use was by the Chinese about 2,500 years ago, where they discovered that applying the moldy curd of soybeans to infections …show more content…
This is done to improve the efficiency of the natural product, reduce its potential side effects, prevent developing resistance by the targeted bacteria and/or expand the range of bacteria that it can treat.
Antibiotics can be used in various ways. Antibiotics are commonly taken orally, though intravenous administration might be used in more serious cases. Antibiotics may also sometimes be administered topically (outside of the body), such as when used with eye drops or skin ointments. Today, over 10,000 different types of antibiotic substances have been reported. A list of the main types of antibiotics include: penicillins (penicillin V, flucloxacillin, amoxicillin); cephalosporins (cefaclor, cefadroxil, cefalexin); tetracyclines (tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline); aminoglycosides (gentamicin, amikacin, tobramycin); macrolides (erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin); clindamycin; sulfonamides and trimethoprim (co-trimoxazole); quinolones (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin); metronidazole and tinidazole. Along with the main types of antibiotics, there are a number of other antibiotics that specialist or hospital doctors may prescribe for more uncommon infections such as
Antibiotics (sometimes called antibacterials) are a strong group of medicines that are used to treat infections caused by bacteria and certain parasites. The term antibiotics comes from the Greek terms “anti” (which means “against”) and “bios” (which means “life”) While our scientific knowledge of antibiotics has only recently been developed, the practical application of antibiotics has existed for centuries. Many ancient cultures, including the ancient Egyptians and ancient Greeks, used specially selected mold, plants and extracts to treat infections. The first known use was by the Chinese about 2,500 years ago, where they discovered that applying the moldy curd of soybeans to infections …show more content…
This is done to improve the efficiency of the natural product, reduce its potential side effects, prevent developing resistance by the targeted bacteria and/or expand the range of bacteria that it can treat.
Antibiotics can be used in various ways. Antibiotics are commonly taken orally, though intravenous administration might be used in more serious cases. Antibiotics may also sometimes be administered topically (outside of the body), such as when used with eye drops or skin ointments. Today, over 10,000 different types of antibiotic substances have been reported. A list of the main types of antibiotics include: penicillins (penicillin V, flucloxacillin, amoxicillin); cephalosporins (cefaclor, cefadroxil, cefalexin); tetracyclines (tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline); aminoglycosides (gentamicin, amikacin, tobramycin); macrolides (erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin); clindamycin; sulfonamides and trimethoprim (co-trimoxazole); quinolones (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, norfloxacin); metronidazole and tinidazole. Along with the main types of antibiotics, there are a number of other antibiotics that specialist or hospital doctors may prescribe for more uncommon infections such as