ANTIBIOTICS INFORMATION TO HUMAN

The term ‘antibiotics’ was coined by Selman in 1942. He defined antibiotic to be a substance produced by a micro-organism and which in low concentration is antagonistic to the growth of other micro-organism. Elymologically, antibiotic means ‘against life’. Clinically, antibiotics are organic products which in low concentration are able to inhibit the metabolic activities of pathogenic organisms without harming the host.

Antibiosis was first demonstrated by Babes in 1855. He found that micro-organisms might produce substance that could inhibit growth of other organisms. In 1877 pasteur and joubet found inhibitation of growth of Bacillus anthracis (anthran baclesia) by certain bacteria. Paul vuilenin proposed the concept to antibiosis of antagonism between two living organisms. In 1928 Felming found that destructutions of cultures of staphylococcus aereus in the region of untamination by pemicillium notatum. Florey etal (1939) discovered the chemotherapeutic value of chemical produced by Penillium notatum and commercialised the product pencillin, which was first usedclinically during the second world war. Waks man and Schater found actimycetes (mycelia becteria)to be potencial produces of antibiotics. Waksman isolated actinomyces is streptomycin in 1949 both from the genus streptomyces.A single species of streptomyces is known to from more than 40 antibiotics. Antibiotics are produced by lichens, finger, actinomyces and eubecteria.

The lichens cantibioticladonia and Usnea produce Ushic acid. Similarly, finger Penicillion produces penicillin, griseofulion, patulin, Emericellopsis prodncescephalosporins, antiamoebin. Eubacteri like bacillus and pesuclomones produce eubacteriates.

Depending upon their effect, antibiotics are of two types-broad spectrum and specific. Broad spectrum antibiotics is able to destroy a large number of pathogens in structure and composition of their walls. The specific antibiotics have a limited spectrum. They act on a few similar type of a pathogens. However all antibiotics inhibits growth or destroy a number of bacteria and fungi. Modern medicine has specific antibiotic for every bacterial pathogen. Antibiotics are relatively inexpensive, safe and sure than other durgs.