This document summarizes antibiotics by class, including their generic and brand names, common uses, possible side effects, and mechanisms of action. It outlines the main classes of antibiotics such as aminoglycosides, ansamycins, carbacephems, carbapenems, and various generations of cephalosporins. For each class, it lists representative antibiotics and provides a brief description of their mechanisms to inhibit bacterial growth and common adverse effects.

1. Antibiotics by class
Brand Mechanism
Generic name Common uses[2] Possible side effects[2]
names of action
Aminoglycosides
Binding to the
Amikacin Amikin bacterial 30S
ribosomal
Gentamicin Garamycin subunit (some
Infections work by
Kanamycin Kantrex
caused by Gram- binding to the
Neomycin Mycifradin negative 50S subunit),
Netilmicin Netromycin bacteria, such as inhibiting the
Escherichia coli translocation
Streptomycin and Klebsiella of the
 Hearing loss
Tobramycin Nebcin particularly peptidyl-
 Vertigo
Pseudomonas tRNA from
 Kidney damage
aeruginosa. the A-site to
Effective against the P-site and
Aerobic bacteria also causing
(not misreading of
obligate/facultati mRNA,
Paromomycin Humatin ve anaerobes) leaving the
and tularemia. bacterium
unable to
synthesize
proteins vital
to its growth.
Ansamycins
Geldanamycin Experimental, as
antitumor
Herbimycin antibiotics
Carbacephem
prevents
bacterial cell
Loracarbef Lorabid division by
inhibiting cell
wall synthesis.
Carbapenems

2. Ertapenem Invanz Bactericidal for
both Gram-
Doripenem Finibax  Gastrointestinal
positive and
Imipenem/Cilastatin Primaxin upset and
Gram-negative
diarrhea
organisms and
 Nausea
therefore useful Inhibition of
 Seizures
for empiric cell wall
 Headache
broad-spectrum synthesis
 Rash and
Meropenem Merrem antibacterial
allergic
coverage. (Note
reactions
MRSA
resistance to this
class.)
Cephalosporins (First generation)
Cefadroxil Duricef Same mode of
 Gastrointestinal action as other
Cefazolin Ancef
upset and beta-lactam
Cefalotin or diarrhea antibiotics:
Keflin
Cefalothin  Nausea (if disrupt the
alcohol taken synthesis of
concurrently) the
 Allergic peptidoglycan
Cefalexin Keflex reactions layer of
bacterial cell
walls.
Cephalosporins (Second generation)
Cefaclor Ceclor Same mode of
 Gastrointestinal action as other
Cefamandole Mandole
upset and beta-lactam
Cefoxitin Mefoxin diarrhea antibiotics:
Cefprozil Cefzil  Nausea (if disrupt the
alcohol taken synthesis of
concurrently) the
Ceftin,  Allergic peptidoglycan
Cefuroxime reactions layer of
Zinnat
bacterial cell
walls.
Cephalosporins (Third generation)
Cefixime Suprax  Gastrointestinal Same mode of
Omnicef, upset and action as other
Cefdinir
Cefdiel diarrhea beta-lactam
 Nausea (if antibiotics:
Cefditoren Spectracef

3. Cefoperazone Cefobid alcohol taken disrupt the
Cefotaxime Claforan concurrently) synthesis of
 Allergic the
Cefpodoxime Vantin reactions peptidoglycan
Ceftazidime Fortaz layer of
bacterial cell
Ceftibuten Cedax walls.
Ceftizoxime
Ceftriaxone Rocephin
Cephalosporins (Fourth generation)
Same mode of
 Gastrointestinal action as other
upset and beta-lactam
diarrhea antibiotics:
 Nausea (if disrupt the
Cefepime Maxipime alcohol taken synthesis of
concurrently) the
 Allergic peptidoglycan
reactions layer of
bacterial cell
walls.
Cephalosporins (Fifth generation)
Same mode of
 Gastrointestinal action as other
upset and beta-lactam
diarrhea antibiotics:
 Nausea (if disrupt the
Used to treat
Ceftobiprole alcohol taken synthesis of
MRSA
concurrently) the
 Allergic peptidoglycan
reactions layer of
bacterial cell
walls.
Glycopeptides
Teicoplanin inhibiting
peptidoglycan
Vancomycin Vancocin synthesis
Macrolides
Zithromax, Streptococcal  Nausea, inhibition of
Azithromycin Sumamed, infections, vomiting, and bacterial
Zitrocin syphilis, diarrhea protein
Clarithromycin Biaxin respiratory (especially at biosynthesis

4. Dirithromycin Dynabac infections, higher doses) by binding
mycoplasmal  Jaundice irreversibly to
Erythocin,
Erythromycin infections, Lyme the subunit
Erythroped
disease 50S of the
Roxithromycin bacterial
Troleandomycin TAO ribosome,
thereby
Visual Disturbance, inhibiting
Telithromycin Ketek Pneumonia
Liver Toxicity.[3] translocation
Antimetabolite, of peptidyl
Spectinomycin
Anticancer tRNA.
Monobactams
Same mode of
action as other
beta-lactam
antibiotics:
disrupt the
Aztreonam Azactam synthesis of
the
peptidoglycan
layer of
bacterial cell
walls.
Penicillins
Novamox,
Amoxicillin
Amoxil
Ampicillin Principen
Azlocillin
 Gastrointestinal Same mode of
Carbenicillin upset and action as other
Cloxacillin Tegopen Wide range of diarrhea beta-lactam
infections;  Allergy with antibiotics:
Dicloxacillin Dynapen
penicillin used serious disrupt the
Flucloxacillin Floxapen for streptococcal anaphylactic synthesis of
Mezlocillin infections, reactions the
syphilis, and  Brain and peptidoglycan
Meticillin Lyme disease kidney damage layer of
Nafcillin (rare) bacterial cell
Oxacillin walls.
Penicillin
Piperacillin
Ticarcillin

5. Polypeptides
Inhibits
isoprenyl
pyrophosphate
, a molecule
which carries
Eye, ear or the building
Bacitracin bladder blocks of the
infections; peptidoglycan
usually applied Kidney and nerve bacterial cell
directly to the damage (when given by wall outside of
eye or inhaled injection) the inner
into the lungs; membrane [4]
rarely given by
Colistin injection Interact with
the bacterial
cytoplasmic
Polymyxin B membrane,
changing its
permeability.
Quinolones
Cipro,
Ciprofloxacin Ciproxin, Urinary tract
Ciprobay infections, inhibit the
Enoxacin Penetrex bacterial bacterial DNA
prostatitis, gyrase or the
Gatifloxacin Tequin Nausea (rare),
community- topoisomerase
irreversible damage to
Levofloxacin Levaquin acquired IV enzyme,
central nervous system
pneumonia, thereby
Lomefloxacin Maxaquin (uncommon),
bacterial inhibiting
Moxifloxacin Avelox tendinosis (rare)
diarrhea, DNA
Norfloxacin Noroxin mycoplasmal replication and
infections, transcription.
Floxin, gonorrhea
Ofloxacin
Ocuflox
Trovafloxacin Trovan Withdrawn
Grepafloxacin Raxar Withdrawn
Sparfloxacin Zagam Withdrawn
Temafloxacin Omniflox Withdrawn
Sulfonamides
Mafenide Urinary tract  Nausea, Folate synthesis
Sulfonamidochrysoidi Prontosil infections vomiting, inhibition. They

6. ne (archaic) (except and diarrhea are competitive
sulfacetamide  Allergy inhibitors of the
Sulfacetamide
and mafenide); (including enzyme
Micro- mafenide is used skin rashes) dihydropteroate
Sulfadiazine
Sulfon topically for  Crystals in synthetase, DHPS.
Sulfamethizole burns urine DHPS catalyses
 Kidney the conversion of
Sulfanilimide failure PABA (para-
(archaic)  Decrease in aminobenzoate) to
Sulfasalazine Azulfidine white blood dihydropteroate, a
Sulfisoxazole cell count key step in folate
 Sensitivity synthesis. Folate is
to sunlight necessary for the
cell to synthesize
nucleic acids
(nucleic acids are
Trimethoprim Trimpex essential building
blocks of DNA
and RNA), and in
its absence cells
will be unable to
divide.
Trimethoprim-
Sulfamethoxazole Bactrim,
(Co-trimoxazole) Septra
(TMP-SMX)
Tetracyclines
Demeclocycline Declomycin  Potentially
Doxycycline Vibramycin Permanent inhibiting the
Syphilis,  Gastrointestinal binding of
Minocycline Minocin chlamydial upset aminoacyl-
Oxytetracycline Terramycin infections, Lyme  Sensitivity to tRNA to the
disease, sunlight mRNA-
mycoplasmal  Potential ribosome
infections, acne toxicity to complex.
rickettsial mother and They do so
infections, fetus during mainly by
Sumycin, *malaria *Note: pregnancy binding to the
Tetracycline Achromycin Malaria is  Enamel 30S ribosomal
V, Steclin caused by a hypoplasia subunit in the
protist and not a (staining of mRNA
bacterium. teeth) translation
 transient complex.
depression of

7. bone growth
Others
Spirochaetal
Arsphenamine Salvarsan infections
(obsolete)
meningitis,
MRSA, topical
Inhibits
use, or for low
bacterial
cost internal
protein
Chloromycet treatment.
Chloramphenicol Rarely: aplastic anemia. synthesis by
in Historic: typhus,
binding to the
cholera. gram
50S subunit of
negative, gram
the ribosome
positive,
anaerobes
acne infections,
Clindamycin Cleocin prophylaxis
before surgery
acne infections,
Lincomycin Lincocin prophylaxis
before surgery
Ethambutol Myambutol Antituberculosis
Fosfomycin Monurol
Fusidic acid Fucidin
Furazolidone
Isoniazid I.N.H. Antituberculosis
Linezolid Zyvox VRSA
Metronidazole Flagyl Giardia
Mupirocin Bactroban
Macrodantin
Nitrofurantoin
, Macrobid
Platensimycin
Pyrazinamide Antituberculosis
Quinupristin/Dalfopri
Syncercid
stin
mostly Gram- Binds to the β
Rifampicin (Rifampin Reddish-orange sweat,
positive and subunit of
in US) tears, and urine
mycobacteria RNA

8. polymerase to
inhibit
transcription
A
chloramphenic
Gram-negative, ol analog.
Gram-positive, May inhibit
anaerobes. Lacks known anemic bacterial
Thiamphenicol
widely used in side-effects. protein
veterinary synthesis by
medicine. binding to the
50S subunit of
the ribosome
Tinidazole
Dapsone Avlosulfon Antileprotic
Clofazimine Lamprene Antileprotic
Brand Common Mechanism
Generic Name Possible Side Effects[2]
Names Uses[2] of action