Scribd
Upload
616 views53 pages

Chemotherapeutic Agents

This document discusses various classes of chemotherapeutic agents (synthetic antibiotics) that are used to treat microbial and viral infections. It provides examples of different types of antibiotics including those that inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis like penicillin, those that inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, those that damage bacterial plasma membranes, and those that inhibit essential bacterial metabolites. It also discusses classes of antifungal drugs and antivirals used to treat HIV/AIDS. The document outlines the mechanisms of action, spectra of activity, and examples of drugs within each class of antimicrobial agent.

Uploaded by

Grape Juice
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
616 views53 pages

Chemotherapeutic Agents

This document discusses various classes of chemotherapeutic agents (synthetic antibiotics) that are used to treat microbial and viral infections. It provides examples of different types of antibiotics including those that inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis like penicillin, those that inhibit bacterial protein synthesis, those that damage bacterial plasma membranes, and those that inhibit essential bacterial metabolites. It also discusses classes of antifungal drugs and antivirals used to treat HIV/AIDS. The document outlines the mechanisms of action, spectra of activity, and examples of drugs within each class of antimicrobial agent.

Uploaded by

Grape Juice
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Chemotherapeutic

Agents
Chemotherapeutic agents (synthetic
antibiotics)
- antimicrobial agents of synthetic origin
useful in the treatment of microbial or viral
disease.
- Examples are sulfonilamides, isoniazid,
ethambutol, AZT, nalidixic acid and
chloramphenicol, etc.
 An antibiotic is an agent that either kills or
inhibits the growth of a cell (tumour, bacteria,
fungi, etc.)
 An antibacterial is an agent that either kills or
inhibits the growth of bacteria.
 What's the difference between antibacterial and
antibiotic?
 The primary difference between antibacterial
and antimicrobial substances is the types of
microorganism they act upon.
While antibacterial products prevent the
development of bacteria, antimicrobial agents
such as alcohol-based hand sanitizers prevent
the spread of bacteria, fungi, and some viruses.
Anti-infective agents:
 Anti-infectives is a general term used to
describe any medicine that is capable of
inhibiting the spread of an infectious
organism or by killing the infectious
organism outright.
 This term encompasses antibiotics,

antifungals, anthelmintics, antimalarials,


antiprotozoals, antituberculosis agents, and
antivirals.
Antibiotics:
 A substance produced by microorganisms
that in small amounts inhibits another
microorganism
 More than half of our antibiotics are

produced by bacteria
Spectrum of antimicrobial activity
 Some drugs have a narrow spectrum antibiotics
– range of different microbial types they affect
(Penicillin G) – gram positive bacteria but very
few gram negative bacteria
 Broad range of gram positive or gram negative
bacteria – broad spectrum antibiotics; have an
advantage in treating a disease but may
destroy many normal microbiota of the host
 May lead to overgrowth of pathogens 
superinfection and may be due to antibiotic-
resistant strain
Mechanism of action:
 Antimicrobial drugs are either bactericidal
(kill microbes directly) or bacteriostatic
(prevent microbes from growing)
 the host’s own defenses (phagocytosis and

antibody production) usually destroy the


microorganisms
Inhibitors of Cell Wall Synthesis
 Penicillin:
- refers to a group of over 50 chemically
related antibiotics
- have a common core structure containing a
B-lactam ring called the nucleus
- produced either naturally or
semisynthetically
- prevent cross-linking of the peptidoglycans
 interferes with the final stages of cell wall
construction (G+ bacteria)
Examples of Penicillins:
 Natural Penicillins:
> Penicillin G – narrow spectrum; DOC vs
staph, strep, spirochetes
- injected IM – rapidly excreted from the body
in 3-6h
- oral: stomach acid diminishes its
concentration
> Procaine Penicillin – up to 24 hours; conc
peak about 4 hours
- benzathine penicillin – longer retention, 4
months but low concentration
- Penicillin V – stable in stomach acids; can
be taken orally
Disadvantages of Natural Penicillins:
1. Narrow spectrum of activity
2. Susceptibility to penicillinases (enzymes
produced by many bacteria that cleave the
B-lactam ring  also called as B-lactamases
Monobactams:
Inhibitors of Protein Synthesis
Injury to plasma membranes
Quinolones & Fluoroquionolones:
Inhibitors of Essential Metabolites
Anti-Fungal Drugs:
Antivirals for HIV/AIDS

You might also like