PHAR2210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 19: Gerhard Domagk, Bacteriostatic Agent, Aminoglycoside
Document Summary
Slow down the microbial growth: block replication often allows immune system to eradicate remaining bugs. Sulphonamides: trimethoprim, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol, macrolides, bactericidal drug: Shown for fluroquinolones, aminoglycosides and -lactams: chemotherapy i: Chemotherapy: the treatment of human disease with drugs that exert a selectively toxic affect on the disease- causing entities (e. g. virus, bacterium, fungi, tumour cell, etc) while minimising harm to the host. Prior to mid-20th century, infections took a huge toll on human health: e. g. plague, cholera, smallpox, etc, claimed many lives (> war) Severe bacterial infections untreatable (e. g. advanced syphilis, early 20th c: high infant mortality (gravestones) 1930s-40s: advent of penicillin & sulphonamides: revolutionised healthcare (plus water purification, sewerage & vaccines) Introduced salvarsan for treatment for syphilis: alexander fleming: 1881-1955. Found that penicillum mould inhibited bacterial growth: howard florey: 1898-1968, discovery and clinical testing of penicillin, gerhard domagk, revealed bacteriostatic action of sulphonamides, e. g. Prontosil: bacteriostatic antibiotics don"t induce free radical production.
