Antimicrobial drugs or agents:
Definition :
medical intervention in an infection primarily
involve attempts to eradicate the infecting pathogen
using substances actively inhibit or kill it, this substance s
is Antibiotics or Chemotherapeutic agents.
Depending on the type of organisms targeted , these
substances are also known as antibacterial , anti fungal ,
or antiviral agent.
Definition s:
1-Antibiotics:
Natural: substances produce by an organism to kill or
inhibit the growth of another organism. Their
effectiveness as therapeutic agents is limited by their
toxicity for human cells.
Semi-synthetic: are synthetic derivative of naturally
occurring antibiotics.
2- Chemotherapeutic agents:
Are chemical that are used for treating infectious
diseases.
Bacteristatic agent:
Antimicrobial the usual dosage prevent active
multiplication of bacteria.
Bactericidal agent:
Antimicrobial the usual dosage kill bacteria.
Some bacteristatic agents become bactericidal when
used at higher concentrations
Broad spectrum antibiotic:
Antimicrobial with activity against a wide range of
bacteria.
Efficacy of antimicrobial agents:
products of qualities that make it useful in treatment
of infectious disease, include:
oRate of absorption.
oRate of elimination.
oAbility to penetrate the infected site
Selective toxicity is the most important single attribute
of an antimicrobial agent.
Selective Toxicity: means that the drug is harmful to
a pathogen without being harmful to the host.
Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin in 1928
Microbial Sources of
Antibiotics
All antibiotics have the common property of interfering in
some way with a normal, critical function of the target
bacterial cell.
The most commonly used antibiotics exert their effect
by one of the following methods:
A) Inhibition of cell wall synthesis
B) Disruption of cell membranes
C) Interference with protein synthesis
D) Interference with nucleic acid synthesis
1. Penicillins (beta lactum agents):
oThe first β-lactam antibiotic to be discovered was
benzylpenicillin, or penicillin-G.
o whose action is restricted to Gram-positive bacteria,
when administered intramuscularly, but cannot be
taken by mouth because it is broken down in the acid
conditions of the stomach.
Another naturally occurring penicillin, penicillin-V,
represented an advance in asmuch as it is less acid-
labile and can therefore be taken orally.
oextensive research has led to the development of many
variants of this, the so-called semisynthetic penicillins.
oAmpicillin is a semi-synthetic penicillin that has a
broader specificity than Penicillin G; it is appreciably
more effective against Gram-negative bacteria , its
hydrophobic nature making it better able to penetrate
their outer membrane. It has the additional benefit of
being acid-stable and can therefore be taken orally.
Another drawback to natural penicillins is that they
are susceptible to naturally occurring bacterial β-
lactamases (also called penicillinases), which breaks a
bond in the β-lactam core of the penicillin molecule.
oPenicillin is not an appropriate treatment for the
estimated 1–5 per cent of adults who show an allergic
reaction to it; in extreme cases, death from
anaphylactic shock can result.
oHypersensitivity include anaphylaxis (IgE mediated)
delayed hypersensitivity (IgG mediated), erythemia
and skin rash.
A.Benzylpenecillin (Penicillin G) (IV & IM) and
Phenoxymethyl penecillin (Penicillin V) (oral):
are drugs of choice of infections caused by
streptococci, pneumococci, meningococci ,Spirocaehte
& Closteridia
B. Ampicillins and oxacillins:
(can be administrated orally) Semi-synthetic
penicillins, broad spectrum, useful in treating gram +ve
bacteria including enterococci, H. influenzae & many
coliform.
2. Cephalosporins (beta-lactum agents):
oProduced by fungus Acremonium cephalosporium.
oBroad spectrum & structurally similar to penicillin.
oInhibit cell wall synthesis of gram –ve & gram +ve.
oCan be given to people with allergies to penicillin.
oUse to treat severe infection caused by gram –ve bacteria
oExpensive and cause kidney damage.
Cephalosporins generations:
o1st cephalexin and cephradine.
o2nd cefoxitin and cefuroxime.
o3rd cetriaxone and ceftoxime.
o 4th cefepime.
3- Bactericin:
oPeptide antibiotics produce by Bacillus subtitles.
oIt prevents peptidoglycan synthesis.
oToxic for human cells.
oTopical application.
oSince , its use internally can cause kidney damage.
o Act against gram-positives bacteria.
.
4. Carbapenems:
(Imipenem and Meropenem)
oCarbapenems are β-lactam antibiotics produced
naturally by a species of Streptomyces.
oA semisynthetic form, imipenem, is active against a
wide range of Gram-positive and -negative bacteria,
and is used when resistance to other β-lactams has
developed.
Beta-lactam agent, Potent, Broad spectrum, expensive,
resistant to hydrolysis by beta lactamases.
5. Glycopeptides (IV)
e.g. Vancomycin and Teicoplanin.
o Are produce by Streptomyces orientalis
o Vancomycin is used to treat serious infection
(endocarditis and septicaemia) caused by gram +ve
bacteria.
oImportant "last line" against multidrug resistant
MRSA.
o Expensive & cause ototoxicity & nephrotoxicity
6.Cycloserine:
oProduce by Streptomyces species.
B- Antibiotics acting on cell membrane
1.Polymexin:
oproduced by Bacillus ploymyxa
oInhibit the normal function of bacterial cells
membrane.
oToo toxic for internal use (topical treatment).
2. Nystatin:
Used as topical antifungal agents
3. Amphotericin B:
o Is used to treat systemic mycosis
o Its highly nephrotoxic (bind to cholesterol in
mammalian cells)
C. Antibiotics Inhibit protein synthesis
1. Aminoglycosides (bactricidal):
oInhibits proteins synthesis in bacteria by binding to
ribosome.
oShow synergy with beta-lactam agents
oUsed to treat severe sepsis due to coliforms.
oCause hypersensitivity, oto- and nephrotoxicicty
oe.g. Streptomycin, Amikacin, kanamycin, neomycin,
gentamicin, and tobramycin.
2. Tetracycline (bacteristatic):
o Include tetracycline and doxycycline
obroad-spectrum, produce by streptomyces
oIt prevents the interaction of new amino acids into the
polypeptide chains.
oSide effects include gastrointestinal disturbances,
kidney damage, and stainig of teeth in children.
oIt should not be used in pregnancy.
3. Chloramphincol:
oprevents peptide bond formation by blocking the
action of peptidtransferase
oBacteristatic and broad spectrum
oRabidly absorbed from GIT
oUsed for many types of infections.
oMay cause A plastic anaemia and is toxic in neonates.
4.Macrolides (Erythromycin):
oProduced by streptomyces erythrus.
obacteristatic agent
oActive against gram +ve bacteria
o Side effects include gastrointestinal upsets and rashes.
5.lincosamides:
oUseful in treating staphylococcal bone and joint
infections, associated with with pseudomembrane
colitis.
D. Antibiotics inhibt transcription of
nucleic acid synthesis
1- Quinlones:
Nalidixic
Fluroquinlones (Ciprofloxacin & Norfloxacin)
oBacteristatic or bactericidal.
oActive against gram -ve & gram +ve bacteria.
oHave grater antibiotic activity & low toxicity.
2.Sulphanomides and trimethoprim:
o Include: Co-trimoxazole, Trimethoprim,
Sulphadimine, and Sulphadoxine
o Bacteristatic.
oActive against gram - ve & gram +ve bacteria.
oSide effects include nausea, vomiting, mouth
ulceration, rashes, and occasionally thrombocytopenia
and leucopenia.
3. Metronidazole:
oUsed to treat anaeobic infection, Vincent,s angina,
and protozoal infection.
o Bactericidal.
Anti - Mycobacterial agents:
1- Rifamicin:
o Semi-synthetic derivative of rifamycin.
o Active against some G -ve & G +ve, Mycobacteria &
Chlamydia
2. Ethambutol.
3. Isonizid.
Antimicrobial resistance
o Most of the antimicrobial resistance which is now
making it difficult to treat some infectious diseases is
due to the extensive use and misuse of antimicrobial
drugs which have favoured the emergence and survival
of resistant strains of micro-organisms.
Bacteria become resistant to antimicrobial agents
by a number of mechanisms, the commonest being:
1)production of enzymes which inactivate or modify
antibiotics,(Production of beta-lactamase enzymes
that destroy the beta-lactam ring of penicillins and
cephalosporins (commonest form of resistance).
2)changes in the bacterial cell membrane, preventing the
uptake of an antimicrobial,
3)modification of the target so that it no longer interacts
with the antimicrobial.
4)development of metabolic pathways by bacteria which
enable the site of antimicrobial action to be bypassed.