Introduction to Antibiotics

Abstract

This chapter is an introduction to antibiotics. Topics discussed are definition of antibiotics, characteristics of an ideal antibiotic, history of antibiotics, discovery of the first antibiotics, penicillin, gramicidin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, etc. Background biochemistry information needed for understanding mechanisms of action of antibiotics is presented. This includes brief discussions on enzymes, inhibitors, and thermodynamics of metabolic pathways.