What are Antibiotics, Classification of antibiotics on the basis of Spectrum, Chemical Composition, Route of administration, Mechanism of action and effects of their action.

1. ANTIBIOTICS and CLASSIFICATION
PART – 1
ZAG

2. Substance produced by a
microorganism or a similar product
produced wholly (synthetic) or
partially (semi-synthetic) by
chemical synthesis and in low
concentrations inhibits the growth
of or kills microorganisms

3. Classification of Antibiotics
 Antibiotics are classified into different categories, on
the basis of ;
 Mechanism of Action
 Spectrum / Target specificity
 Effects of their activity
 Route of administration
 Chemical structure

4. Classification : Spectrum Basis
 On the basis of target specificity, antibiotics are divided
into two;
 Broad Spectrum
 broad spectrum antibiotics affect a wide range of bacteria,
including both Gram positive and negative (Large Number of
families).
 E.g. Ampicillin, Amoxicillin
 Narrow spectrum
 Narrow spectrum antibiotics act against a limited group of
bacteria, either gram positive or gram negative. for example
 Sodium Fusidate only acts against staphylococcal bacteria.

5. Classification : Effects of Specificity
 On the basis of Effects of specificity, antibiotics are divided
into two;
 Bacteriostatics
 A drug that prevents bacterial growth and reproduction
but does not necessarily kill them. Examples are;
 Sulfonamide, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, trimethoprim,
macrolides, Lincosamide
 Bactericidal
 An agent that kills bacteria.
 Aminoglycosides, Penicillin, Cephalosporin

6. Classification : Chemical structure
 Following are some major classes of antibiotics ;
 Beta Lactams
 Macrolides
 Aminoglycosides
 Quinolones and Flouroquinolones
 Sulphonamides
 Glcopeptides
 Lincosamides
 Streptogramins
 Trimethoprim
 Steroid Antibiotics

7. Classification : Mechanism of Action
Categorically divided as;
 Inhibitor of cell wall synthesis/ Peptidoglycan Inhibitors
 Beta-lactum; Penicillin
 Bacitracin
 Inhibitor of Protein Synthesis
 Streptomycin
 Aminoglycosides
 Inhibitor of Nucleic acid synthesis
 Quinolones
 Ciprofloxacin
 Inhibitor of Essential Metabolite synthesis
 Inhibitor of Folic acid synthesis
 Sulfonamide
 Trimethoprim
 Inhibitor of cytoplasmic membrane
 Polymyxin; Colistin

9. For further knowledge about Antibiotics check Part
- II