Bactericidal effect of antibiotics. Describe the bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects of antibiotics

The human body is attacked every day by many microbes that try to settle and develop at the expense of the internal resources of the body. The immune system usually copes with them, but sometimes the resistance of microorganisms is high and you have to take medications to fight them. There are different groups of antibiotics that have a certain spectrum of action and belong to different generations, but all types of this drug effectively kill pathological microorganisms. Like all powerful medications, this drug has its side effects.

What is an antibiotic

This is a group of drugs that have the ability to block protein synthesis and thereby inhibit the reproduction and growth of living cells. All types of antibiotics are used to treat infectious processes that are caused by different strains of bacteria: staphylococcus, streptococcus, meningococcus. The drug was first developed in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. Antibiotics of certain groups are prescribed for the treatment of oncological pathologies as part of combination chemotherapy. In modern terminology, this type of medication is often called antibacterial drugs.

Classification of antibiotics by mechanism of action

The first drugs of this type were medications based on penicillin. There is a classification of antibiotics according to groups and mechanism of action. Some of the drugs have a narrow focus, others have a broad spectrum of action. This parameter determines how much the medicine will affect a person’s health (both positively and negatively). Medicines help cope with or reduce the mortality rate of such serious diseases:

• sepsis;
• gangrene;
• meningitis;
• pneumonia;
• syphilis.

Bactericidal

This is one of the types from the classification of antimicrobial agents according to pharmacological action. Bactericidal antibiotics are drugs that cause lysis, the death of microorganisms. The medication inhibits membrane synthesis and suppresses the production of DNA components. The following groups of antibiotics have these properties:

• carbapenems;
• penicillins;
• fluoroquinolones;
• glycopeptides;
• monobactams;
• fosfomycin.

Bacteriostatic

The action of this group of medications is aimed at inhibiting the synthesis of proteins by microbial cells, which prevents them from further multiplying and developing. The result of the action of the drug is to limit the further development of the pathological process. This effect is typical for the following groups of antibiotics:

• lincosamines;
• macrolides;
• aminoglycosides.

Classification of antibiotics by chemical composition

The main division of drugs is based on their chemical structure. Each of them is based on a different active substance. This division helps to fight specifically against a specific type of microbe or to have a broad spectrum of action on a large number of varieties. This prevents bacteria from developing resistance (resistance, immunity) to a specific type of medication. The main types of antibiotics are described below.

Penicillins

This is the very first group that was created by man. Antibiotics of the penicillin group (penicillium) have a wide range of effects on microorganisms. Within the group there is an additional division into:

• natural penicillins - produced by fungi under normal conditions (phenoxymethylpenicillin, benzylpenicillin);
• semisynthetic penicillins are more resistant to penicillinases, which significantly expands the spectrum of action of the antibiotic (methicillin, oxacillin medications);
• extended action – preparations of ampicillin, amoxicillin;
• medicines with a wide spectrum of action - azlocillin, mezlocillin.

In order to reduce bacterial resistance to this type of antibiotics, penicillinase inhibitors are added: sulbactam, tazobactam, clavulanic acid. Vivid examples of such medications are: Tazocin, Augmentin, Tazrobida. Medicines are prescribed for the following pathologies:

• respiratory system infections: pneumonia, sinusitis, bronchitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis;
• genitourinary: urethritis, cystitis, gonorrhea, prostatitis;
• digestive: dysentery, cholecystitis;
• syphilis.

Cephalosporins

The bactericidal property of this group has a wide spectrum of action. The following generations of cephalosporins are distinguished:

• I-e, drugs cefradine, cephalexin, cefazolin;
• II, products with cefaclor, cefuroxime, cefoxitin, cefotiam;
• III, medications ceftazidime, cefotaxime, cefoperazone, ceftriaxone, cefodizime;
• IV, products with cefpirome, cefepime;
• V-e, medications fetobiprole, ceftaroline, fetolosan.

Most of the antibacterial medications in this group are available only in the form of injections, so they are used more often in clinics. Cephalosporins are the most popular type of antibiotics for inpatient treatment. This class of antibacterial agents is prescribed for:

• pyelonephritis;
• generalization of infection;
• inflammation of soft tissues, bones;
• meningitis;
• pneumonia;
• lymphangitis.

Macrolides

1. Natural. They were synthesized for the first time in the 60s of the 20th century, these include spiramycin, erythromycin, midecamycin, and josamycin.
2. Prodrugs, the active form is taken after metabolism, for example, troleandomycin.
3. Semi-synthetic. These are clarithromycin, telithromycin, azithromycin, dirithromycin.

Tetracyclines

This species was created in the second half of the 20th century. Antibiotics of the tetracycline group have an antimicrobial effect against a large number of strains of microbial flora. At high concentrations, a bactericidal effect is manifested. A feature of tetracyclines is their ability to accumulate in tooth enamel and bone tissue. This helps in the treatment of chronic osteomyelitis, but also disrupts skeletal development in young children. This group is prohibited for pregnant girls and children under 12 years of age. These antibacterial medications are represented by the following drugs:

• Oxytetracycline;
• Tigecycline;
• Doxycycline;
• Minocycline.

Contraindications include hypersensitivity to components, chronic liver pathologies, porphyria. Indications for use are the following pathologies:

• Lyme disease;
• intestinal pathologies;
• leptospirosis;
• brucellosis;
• gonococcal infections;
• rickettsiosis;
• trachoma;
• actinomycosis;
• tularemia.

Aminoglycosides

The active use of this series of medications is carried out in the treatment of infections caused by gram-negative flora. Antibiotics have a bactericidal effect. The drugs show high efficiency, which is not related to the indicator of the patient’s immune activity, making these medications indispensable for weakening of the immune system and neutropenia. The following generations of these antibacterial agents exist:

1. The drugs kanamycin, neomycin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin belong to the first generation.
2. The second includes products with gentamicin and tobramycin.
3. The third includes amikacin drugs.
4. The fourth generation is represented by isepamycin.

Indications for the use of this group of medications are the following pathologies:

• sepsis;
• respiratory tract infections;
• cystitis;
• peritonitis;
• endocarditis;
• meningitis;
• osteomyelitis.

Fluoroquinolones

One of the largest groups of antibacterial agents has a broad bactericidal effect on pathogenic microorganisms. All medications are similar to nalidixic acid. They began actively using fluoroquinolones in the 7th year; there is a classification by generation:

• medicines oxolinic, nalidixic acid;
• products containing ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, norfloxacin;
• levofloxacin preparations;
• medications with moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, gemifloxacin.

The latter type is called “respiratory”, which is associated with activity against microflora, which, as a rule, causes the development of pneumonia. Medicines of this group are used for therapy:

• bronchitis;
• sinusitis;
• gonorrhea;
• intestinal infections;
• tuberculosis;
• sepsis;
• meningitis;
• prostatitis.

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Attention! The information presented in the article is for informational purposes only. The materials in the article do not encourage self-treatment. Only a qualified doctor can make a diagnosis and make recommendations for treatment based on the individual characteristics of a particular patient.

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Antibiotics are a huge group of bactericidal drugs, each of which is characterized by its own spectrum of action, indications for use and the presence of certain consequences

Antibiotics are substances that can inhibit the growth of microorganisms or destroy them. According to the GOST definition, antibiotics include substances of plant, animal or microbial origin. Currently, this definition is somewhat outdated, since a huge number of synthetic drugs have been created, but natural antibiotics served as the prototype for their creation.

The history of antimicrobial drugs begins in 1928, when A. Fleming first discovered penicillin. This substance was discovered, and not created, since it has always existed in nature. In living nature, it is produced by microscopic fungi of the genus Penicillium, protecting themselves from other microorganisms.

In less than 100 years, more than a hundred different antibacterial drugs have been created. Some of them are already outdated and are not used in treatment, and some are just being introduced into clinical practice.

How do antibiotics work?

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All antibacterial drugs can be divided into two large groups according to their effect on microorganisms:

• bactericidal– directly cause the death of microbes;
• bacteriostatic– prevent the proliferation of microorganisms. Unable to grow and reproduce, bacteria are destroyed by the immune system of a sick person.

Antibiotics exert their effects in many ways: some of them interfere with the synthesis of microbial nucleic acids; others interfere with the synthesis of bacterial cell walls, others disrupt protein synthesis, and others block the functions of respiratory enzymes.

Antibiotic groups

Despite the diversity of this group of drugs, all of them can be classified into several main types. This classification is based on chemical structure - drugs from the same group have a similar chemical formula, differing from each other in the presence or absence of certain molecular fragments.

The classification of antibiotics implies the presence of groups:

1. Penicillin derivatives. This includes all drugs created on the basis of the very first antibiotic. In this group, the following subgroups or generations of penicillin drugs are distinguished:

• Natural benzylpenicillin, which is synthesized by fungi, and semi-synthetic drugs: methicillin, nafcillin.
• Synthetic drugs: carbpenicillin and ticarcillin, which have a wider spectrum of action.
• Mecillam and azlocillin, which have an even wider spectrum of action.

1. Cephalosporins- Closest relatives of penicillins. The very first antibiotic of this group, cefazolin C, is produced by fungi of the genus Cephalosporium. Most drugs in this group have a bactericidal effect, that is, they kill microorganisms. There are several generations of cephalosporins:

• I generation: cefazolin, cephalexin, cefradine, etc.
• II generation: cefsulodin, cefamandole, cefuroxime.
• III generation: cefotaxime, ceftazidime, cefodizime.
• IV generation: cefpirom.
• V generation: ceftolozane, ceftopibrol.

The differences between the different groups are mainly in their effectiveness - later generations have a greater spectrum of action and are more effective. 1st and 2nd generation cephalosporins are now used extremely rarely in clinical practice, most of them are not even produced.

1. – drugs with a complex chemical structure that have a bacteriostatic effect on a wide range of microbes. Representatives: azithromycin, rovamycin, josamycin, leucomycin and a number of others. Macrolides are considered one of the safest antibacterial drugs - they can even be used by pregnant women. Azalides and ketolides are varieties of macorlides that have differences in the structure of the active molecules.

Another advantage of this group of drugs is that they are able to penetrate the cells of the human body, which makes them effective in the treatment of intracellular infections:,.

1. Aminoglycosides. Representatives: gentamicin, amikacin, kanamycin. Effective against a large number of aerobic gram-negative microorganisms. These drugs are considered the most toxic and can lead to quite serious complications. Used to treat genitourinary tract infections.
2. Tetracyclines. These are mainly semi-synthetic and synthetic drugs, which include: tetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline. Effective against many bacteria. The disadvantage of these drugs is cross-resistance, that is, microorganisms that have developed resistance to one drug will be insensitive to others from this group.
3. Fluoroquinolones. These are completely synthetic drugs that do not have their natural counterpart. All drugs in this group are divided into first generation (pefloxacin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin) and second generation (levofloxacin, moxifloxacin). They are most often used to treat infections of the ENT organs (,) and respiratory tract (,).
4. Lincosamides. This group includes the natural antibiotic lincomycin and its derivative clindamycin. They have both bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects, the effect depends on the concentration.
5. Carbapenems. These are one of the most modern antibiotics that act on a large number of microorganisms. Drugs in this group belong to reserve antibiotics, that is, they are used in the most difficult cases when other drugs are ineffective. Representatives: imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem.
6. Polymyxins. These are highly specialized drugs used to treat infections caused by. Polymyxins include polymyxin M and B. The disadvantage of these drugs is their toxic effect on the nervous system and kidneys.
7. Antituberculosis drugs. This is a separate group of drugs that have a pronounced effect on. These include rifampicin, isoniazid and PAS. Other antibiotics are also used to treat tuberculosis, but only if resistance to the drugs mentioned has developed.
8. Antifungal agents. This group includes drugs used to treat mycoses - fungal infections: amphothirecin B, nystatin, fluconazole.

Methods of using antibiotics

Antibacterial drugs are available in different forms: tablets, powder from which an injection solution is prepared, ointments, drops, spray, syrup, suppositories. The main uses of antibiotics:

1. Oral- oral administration. You can take the medicine in the form of a tablet, capsule, syrup or powder. The frequency of administration depends on the type of antibiotic, for example, azithromycin is taken once a day, and tetracycline is taken 4 times a day. For each type of antibiotic there are recommendations that indicate when it should be taken - before, during or after meals. The effectiveness of treatment and the severity of side effects depend on this. Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed to young children in syrup form - it is easier for children to drink the liquid than to swallow a tablet or capsule. In addition, the syrup can be sweetened to eliminate the unpleasant or bitter taste of the medicine itself.
2. Injectable– in the form of intramuscular or intravenous injections. With this method, the drug reaches the site of infection faster and is more active. The disadvantage of this method of administration is that the injection is painful. Injections are used for moderate and severe diseases.

Important:Only a nurse should give injections in a clinic or hospital setting! It is strictly not recommended to inject antibiotics at home.

1. Local– applying ointments or creams directly to the site of infection. This method of drug delivery is mainly used for skin infections - erysipelas, as well as in ophthalmology - for infections of the eye, for example, tetracycline ointment for conjunctivitis.

The route of administration is determined only by the doctor. In this case, many factors are taken into account: the absorption of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract, the state of the digestive system as a whole (in some diseases, the absorption rate decreases and the effectiveness of treatment decreases). Some drugs can only be administered one way.

When injecting, you need to know how to dissolve the powder. For example, Abactal can only be diluted with glucose, since when sodium chloride is used it is destroyed, which means the treatment will be ineffective.

Antibiotic sensitivity

Any organism sooner or later gets used to the harshest conditions. This statement is also true in relation to microorganisms - in response to prolonged exposure to antibiotics, microbes develop resistance to them. The concept of sensitivity to antibiotics was introduced into medical practice - the effectiveness with which a particular drug affects the pathogen.

Any prescription of antibiotics should be based on knowledge of the sensitivity of the pathogen. Ideally, before prescribing a drug, the doctor should conduct a sensitivity test and prescribe the most effective drug. But the time required to carry out such an analysis is, in the best case, several days, and during this time the infection can lead to the most disastrous result.

Therefore, in case of infection with an unknown pathogen, doctors prescribe drugs empirically - taking into account the most likely pathogen, with knowledge of the epidemiological situation in a particular region and medical institution. For this purpose, broad-spectrum antibiotics are used.

After performing a sensitivity test, the doctor has the opportunity to change the drug to a more effective one. The drug can be replaced if there is no effect from treatment for 3-5 days.

Etiotropic (targeted) prescription of antibiotics is more effective. At the same time, it becomes clear what caused the disease - using bacteriological research, the type of pathogen is established. Then the doctor selects a specific drug to which the microbe does not have resistance (resistance).

Are antibiotics always effective?

Antibiotics only act on bacteria and fungi! Bacteria are considered single-celled microorganisms. There are several thousand species of bacteria, some of which coexist quite normally with humans—more than 20 species of bacteria live in the large intestine. Some bacteria are opportunistic - they cause disease only under certain conditions, for example, when they enter an atypical habitat. For example, very often prostatitis is caused by E. coli, which enters through the ascending route from the rectum.

Note: Antibiotics are absolutely ineffective for viral diseases. Viruses are many times smaller than bacteria, and antibiotics simply do not have a point of application for their ability. That's why antibiotics have no effect on colds, since colds in 99% of cases are caused by viruses.

Antibiotics for coughs and bronchitis may be effective if they are caused by bacteria. Only a doctor can figure out what causes the disease - for this he prescribes blood tests, and, if necessary, an examination of sputum if it comes out.

Important:Prescribing antibiotics to yourself is unacceptable! This will only lead to the fact that some of the pathogens will develop resistance, and next time the disease will be much more difficult to cure.

Of course, antibiotics are effective for - this disease is exclusively bacterial in nature, caused by streptococci or staphylococci. To treat sore throat, the simplest antibiotics are used - penicillin, erythromycin. The most important thing in the treatment of angina is compliance with the frequency of dosing and the duration of treatment - at least 7 days. You should not stop taking the medicine immediately after the onset of the condition, which is usually noted on the 3-4th day. True tonsillitis should not be confused with tonsillitis, which can be of viral origin.

Note: untreated sore throat can cause acute rheumatic fever or!

Pneumonia (pneumonia) can be of both bacterial and viral origin. Bacteria cause pneumonia in 80% of cases, so even when prescribed empirically, antibiotics for pneumonia have a good effect. For viral pneumonia, antibiotics do not have a therapeutic effect, although they prevent the bacterial flora from joining the inflammatory process.

Antibiotics and alcohol

Taking alcohol and antibiotics at the same time in a short period of time does not lead to anything good. Some drugs are broken down in the liver, just like alcohol. The presence of antibiotics and alcohol in the blood puts a strong strain on the liver - it simply does not have time to neutralize ethyl alcohol. As a result, the likelihood of developing unpleasant symptoms increases: nausea, vomiting, and intestinal disorders.

Important: a number of drugs interact with alcohol at the chemical level, as a result of which the therapeutic effect is directly reduced. These drugs include metronidazole, chloramphenicol, cefoperazone and a number of others. Concomitant use of alcohol and these drugs can not only reduce the therapeutic effect, but also lead to shortness of breath, seizures and death.

Of course, some antibiotics can be taken while drinking alcohol, but why risk your health? It is better to abstain from alcoholic beverages for a short time - the course of antibacterial therapy rarely exceeds 1.5-2 weeks.

Antibiotics during pregnancy

Pregnant women suffer from infectious diseases no less often than everyone else. But treating pregnant women with antibiotics is very difficult. In the body of a pregnant woman, the fetus grows and develops - the unborn child, which is very sensitive to many chemicals. The entry of antibiotics into the developing body can provoke the development of fetal malformations and toxic damage to the central nervous system of the fetus.

During the first trimester, it is advisable to avoid the use of antibiotics altogether. In the second and third trimesters, their use is safer, but should also be limited, if possible.

A pregnant woman cannot refuse to prescribe antibiotics for the following diseases:

• Pneumonia;
• angina;
• infected wounds;
• specific infections: brucellosis, borelliosis;
• sexually transmitted infections: , .

What antibiotics can be prescribed to a pregnant woman?

Penicillin, cephalosporin drugs, erythromycin, and josamycin have almost no effect on the fetus. Penicillin, although it passes through the placenta, does not have a negative effect on the fetus. Cephalosporin and other named drugs penetrate the placenta in extremely low concentrations and are not capable of harming the unborn child.

Conditionally safe drugs include metronidazole, gentamicin and azithromycin. They are prescribed only for health reasons, when the benefit to the woman outweighs the risk to the child. Such situations include severe pneumonia, sepsis, and other severe infections, in which, without antibiotics, a woman can simply die.

Which drugs should not be prescribed during pregnancy?

The following drugs should not be used in pregnant women:

• aminoglycosides– can lead to congenital deafness (with the exception of gentamicin);
• clarithromycin, roxithromycin– in experiments they had a toxic effect on animal embryos;
• fluoroquinolones;
• tetracycline– disrupts the formation of the skeletal system and teeth;
• chloramphenicol– dangerous in late pregnancy due to inhibition of bone marrow functions in the child.

For some antibacterial drugs there is no data on negative effects on the fetus. This is explained simply - experiments are not carried out on pregnant women to determine the toxicity of drugs. Experiments on animals do not allow us to exclude all negative effects with 100% certainty, since the metabolism of drugs in humans and animals can differ significantly.

Please note that you should also stop taking antibiotics or change your plans for conception. Some drugs have a cumulative effect - they can accumulate in a woman’s body, and for some time after the end of the course of treatment they are gradually metabolized and eliminated. It is recommended to become pregnant no earlier than 2-3 weeks after finishing taking antibiotics.

Consequences of taking antibiotics

The entry of antibiotics into the human body leads not only to the destruction of pathogenic bacteria. Like all foreign chemicals, antibiotics have a systemic effect - to one degree or another they affect all systems of the body.

There are several groups of side effects of antibiotics:

Allergic reactions

Almost any antibiotic can cause allergies. The severity of the reaction varies: rash on the body, Quincke's edema (angioedema), anaphylactic shock. While an allergic rash is practically harmless, anaphylactic shock can be fatal. The risk of shock is much higher with antibiotic injections, which is why injections should only be done in medical institutions - emergency care can be provided there.

Antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs that cause cross-allergic reactions:

Toxic reactions

Antibiotics can damage many organs, but the liver is most susceptible to their effects - toxic hepatitis can occur during antibiotic therapy. Certain drugs have a selective toxic effect on other organs: aminoglycosides - on the hearing aid (cause deafness); tetracyclines inhibit bone growth in children.

note: The toxicity of a drug usually depends on its dose, but in case of individual intolerance, sometimes smaller doses are sufficient to produce an effect.

Effects on the gastrointestinal tract

When taking certain antibiotics, patients often complain of stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and stool disorders (diarrhea). These reactions are most often caused by the locally irritating effect of the drugs. The specific effect of antibiotics on the intestinal flora leads to functional disorders of its activity, which is most often accompanied by diarrhea. This condition is called antibiotic-associated diarrhea, which is popularly known as dysbiosis after antibiotics.

Other side effects

Other side effects include:

• immunosuppression;
• emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms;
• superinfection – a condition in which microbes resistant to a given antibiotic are activated, leading to the emergence of a new disease;
• violation of vitamin metabolism - caused by inhibition of the natural flora of the colon, which synthesizes some B vitamins;
• Jarisch-Herxheimer bacteriolysis is a reaction that occurs when using bactericidal drugs, when, as a result of the simultaneous death of a large number of bacteria, a large number of toxins are released into the blood. The reaction is clinically similar to shock.

Can antibiotics be used prophylactically?

Self-education in the field of treatment has led to the fact that many patients, especially young mothers, try to prescribe themselves (or their child) an antibiotic at the slightest sign of a cold. Antibiotics do not have a prophylactic effect - they treat the cause of the disease, that is, they eliminate microorganisms, and in their absence, only side effects of the drugs appear.

There are a limited number of situations when antibiotics are administered before clinical manifestations of infection, in order to prevent it:

• surgery– in this case, the antibiotic present in the blood and tissues prevents the development of infection. As a rule, a single dose of the drug administered 30-40 minutes before the intervention is sufficient. Sometimes even after an appendectomy, antibiotics are not injected in the postoperative period. After “clean” surgical operations, antibiotics are not prescribed at all.
• major injuries or wounds(open fractures, soil contamination of the wound). In this case, it is absolutely obvious that an infection has entered the wound and it should be “crushed” before it manifests itself;
• emergency prevention of syphilis carried out during unprotected sexual contact with a potentially sick person, as well as among health workers who have had the blood of an infected person or other biological fluid come into contact with the mucous membrane;
• penicillin can be prescribed to children for the prevention of rheumatic fever, which is a complication of tonsillitis.

Antibiotics for children

The use of antibiotics in children is generally no different from their use in other groups of people. For young children, pediatricians most often prescribe antibiotics in syrup. This dosage form is more convenient to take and, unlike injections, is completely painless. Older children may be prescribed antibiotics in tablets and capsules. In severe cases of infection, they switch to the parenteral route of administration - injections.

Important: The main feature in the use of antibiotics in pediatrics is the dosage - children are prescribed smaller doses, since the drug is calculated in terms of per kilogram of body weight.

Antibiotics are very effective drugs, but at the same time they have a large number of side effects. In order to be cured with their help and not harm your body, they should be taken only as prescribed by a doctor.

What types of antibiotics are there? In what cases is taking antibiotics necessary and in what cases is it dangerous? The main rules of antibiotic treatment are explained by pediatrician Dr. Komarovsky:

Gudkov Roman, resuscitator

Many microorganisms surround humans. There are beneficial ones that live on the skin, mucous membranes and in the intestines. They help digest food, participate in the synthesis of vitamins and protect the body from pathogenic microorganisms. And there are a lot of them too. Many diseases are caused by the activity of bacteria in the human body. And the only way to deal with them is antibiotics. Most of them have a bactericidal effect. This property of such drugs helps prevent the active proliferation of bacteria and leads to their death. Various products with this effect are widely used for internal and external use.

What is bactericidal action

This property of drugs is used to destroy various microorganisms. Various physical and chemical agents have this quality. Bactericidal action is their ability to destroy bacteria and thereby cause their death. The speed of this process depends on the concentration of the active substance and the number of microorganisms. Only when using penicillins, the bactericidal effect does not increase with increasing amount of the drug. The following have a bactericidal effect:

Where are such funds required?

A bactericidal effect is a property of some substances that is constantly required by a person in economic and household activities. Most often, such preparations are used to disinfect premises in children's and medical institutions, and catering establishments. They are used to treat hands, dishes, and equipment. Bactericidal preparations are especially needed in medical institutions, where they are used constantly. Many housewives use such substances at home to treat their hands, plumbing fixtures and floors.

Medicine is also an area where bactericidal drugs are used very often. In addition to hand treatment, external antiseptics are used to cleanse wounds and fight infections of the skin and mucous membranes. Chemotherapy drugs are so far the only means of treating various infectious diseases caused by bacteria. The peculiarity of such drugs is that they destroy the cell walls of bacteria without affecting human cells.

Bactericidal antibiotics

Such drugs are most often used to fight infection. Antibiotics are divided into two groups: bactericidal and bacteriostatic, that is, those that do not kill bacteria, but simply prevent them from multiplying. The first group is used more often, since the effect of such drugs occurs faster. They are used in acute infectious processes when intensive division of bacterial cells occurs. In such antibiotics, the bactericidal effect is expressed in disrupting protein synthesis and preventing the construction of the cell wall. As a result, the bacteria die. These antibiotics include:

Plants with bactericidal action

Some plants also have the ability to destroy bacteria. They are less effective than antibiotics and act much slower, but are often used as an auxiliary treatment. The following plants have a bactericidal effect:

Local disinfectants

Such preparations, which have a bactericidal effect, are used to treat hands, equipment, medical instruments, floors and plumbing. Some of them are safe for the skin and are even used to treat infected wounds. They can be divided into several groups:

Rules for the use of such drugs

All germicides are potent and can cause serious side effects. When using external antiseptics, be sure to follow the instructions and avoid overdose. Some disinfectants are very toxic, for example, chlorine or phenol, so when working with them you need to protect your hands and respiratory organs and strictly follow the dosage.

Chemotherapy drugs taken by mouth can also be dangerous. After all, along with pathogenic bacteria, they also destroy beneficial microorganisms. Because of this, the patient’s gastrointestinal tract is disrupted, there is a lack of vitamins and minerals, immunity decreases and allergic reactions appear. Therefore, when using bactericidal drugs, you need to follow some rules:

• they must be taken only as prescribed by a doctor;
• The dosage and regimen of administration are very important: they act only if there is a certain concentration of the active substance in the body;
• treatment should not be interrupted prematurely, even if the condition has improved, otherwise the bacteria may develop resistance;
• It is recommended to drink antibiotics only with water, as they work better this way.

Bactericidal drugs affect only bacteria, destroying them. They are ineffective against viruses and fungi, but destroy beneficial microorganisms. Therefore, self-medication with such drugs is unacceptable.