antimicrobial agents

HISTORY OF ANTIBIOTICS – a synopsis on how it all started

Over the past 70 years, antibiotics have saved countless number of lives across the globe and enabled the further development of modern medicine as well as antimicrobial agents of diverse types with putative activity against pathogenic microorganisms. Despite the current state of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally, these antibiotics are currently used to counter the nefarious […]

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Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , ,

ERYTHROMYCIN

Erythromycin is a protein synthesis inhibitor that binds to the 50S ribosomal subunit of the bacterial ribosome. It is found in the family of antibiotics known as the macrolides; and antibiotics in this group are generally protein synthesis inhibitors. Other macrolides include azithromycin and clarithromycin. Lincomycin and clindamycin are antibiotics that inhibit protein synthesis in

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Antimicrobial Agents & Antibiotics, , , , ,

CHARACTERISTICS/FEATURES OF ANTIBIOTICS

Antibiotics including antibacterial agents, antiviral agents, antiprotozoal agents, and antifungal agents have some specific characteristics that distinguish them from other antimicrobial agents that are used for the treatment of microbial infections as well as in the control of microbes on inanimate surfaces. Some of these features are highlighted in this unit. References Ashutosh Kar (2008).

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Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Antimicrobial Agents & Antibiotics, , ,

SPECTRUM OF ACTIVITY OF ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS

The growth of pathogenic microorganisms is usually accompanied by the synthesis of new molecules including DNA, RNA and proteins. Microorganisms also acquire nutrient molecules from their surrounding environment or growth medium as their cells multiply and divide either in vivo or in vitro. Every drug has particular target site on pathogenic microorganisms when administered; and

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Antimicrobial Agents & Antibiotics, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , , , , , , , , ,

Overview of antimicrobial agents (antibiotics)

Ever since their discovery some decadesago, antimicrobial agents particularly antibiotics have saved mankind from the morbidity and mortality of innumerable infectious diseases and/or pathogenic agents even till date. Irrespective of the fact that pathogenic microorganisms have developed resistance genes or traits that allow them to dodge the antimicrobial onslaught of these agents or drugs, antimicrobial

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Antimicrobial Agents & Antibiotics, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , , , , , ,

SOURCES OF ANTIBIOTICS

Before the advent of conventional medicine used in clinical medicine today for the treatment of infectious diseases, people in ancient times and even now have been using some herbal plants traditionally for centuries to combat microbes that cause diseases in man. Recently, scientists have studied and reported results that support the use of these herbal

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Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Antimicrobial Agents & Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) & Antibiogram, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , ,

BRIEF HISTORY OF ANTIBIOTICS

Antibiotic history dates back to 1928 when Sir Alexander Fleming discovered the antibacterial effects of the yeast, Penicillium notatum, a Fungus in his laboratory. The “antibiotic era” was ushered in through the work of several pioneering scientists including Sir Alexander Fleming, Howard Florey, Ernest chain, Selman Waksman, Albert Schatz, Paul Ehrlich to mention but a

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Antibiotic Resistance / Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Antimicrobial Agents & Antibiotics, Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) & Antibiogram, Pharmaceutical Microbiology, , ,