Antibacterial Drugs

Antibacterial drugs that destroy bacteria or stop its growth. An antibiotic is a chemotherapeutic agent that stops the growth of micro-organisms, such as bacteria, fungi, or protozoans. The term refers to any means by which biological action against living organisms; however, "antibiotic" is considered to be a substance which is anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, or anti-parasitical.

The first antibiotic compounds used in modern medicine so produced, such as the penicillin class produced by fungi in the genus Penicillium, or streptomycin is produced from bacteria of the genus Streptomyces. Advancement in organic chemistry has led to many antibiotics which are obtained by chemical synthesis, such as the sulfa drugs.

The efficiency of antibiotics depends upon the site of the infection, the ability of the antibiotic to reach the infection spot, and the capability of the microbe to inactivate or expel the antibiotic. Some anti-bacterial antibiotics devastate bacteria (bactericidal), whereas others inhibit bacteria from multiplying.