Using drugs to treat disease. Lesson objectives To describe the difference between painkillers and antibiotics. To explain that antibiotics only kill bacterial pathogens. Describe how you feel when you are ill.

Medicines. Some drugs have no effect on the pathogens and just ease the symptoms. Remember aspirin just reduces pain it does not stop the cause.

Some drugs have no effect on the pathogens and just ease the symptoms.

Remember aspirin just reduces pain it does not stop the cause.

Antibiotics These drugs actually target the pathogens. People use antiseptics and disinfectants to kill bacteria outside the body but these are far too poisonous. They would kill our cells and the pathogen.

These drugs actually target the pathogens.

People use antiseptics and disinfectants to kill bacteria outside the body but these are far too poisonous.

They would kill our cells and the pathogen.

Antibiotics Antibiotics have really changed how we treat infectious diseases. Alexander Fleming studied bacteria wanting to find ways of killing them. However, he was a sloppy scientist.

Antibiotics have really changed how we treat infectious diseases.

Alexander Fleming studied bacteria wanting to find ways of killing them.

However, he was a sloppy scientist.

Alexander Fleming When he came home from a holiday he notices most of his cultures had mould growing on them. However, some had a clear ring around the mould. He investigated this and discovered penicillin although he failed to make a stable version.

When he came home from a holiday he notices most of his cultures had mould growing on them.

However, some had a clear ring around the mould.

He investigated this and discovered penicillin although he failed to make a stable version.

Ernst Chain and Howard Florey They managed to produce penicillin on an industrial scale and saved many lives in the Second World War because of this. Antibiotics kill bacteria by damaging the cells without harming our own cells. Antibiotics have helped cure diseases such as plague and TB.

They managed to produce penicillin on an industrial scale and saved many lives in the Second World War because of this.

Antibiotics kill bacteria by damaging the cells without harming our own cells.

Antibiotics have helped cure diseases such as plague and TB.

Problems Antibiotics do not kill viral diseases, and finding drugs that do, has been very difficult. Why is this?

Antibiotics do not kill viral diseases, and finding drugs that do, has been very difficult.

Why is this?