Antibiotics and Chemotherapy

Antibiotics (/æntɪbaɪˈɒtɪks/, from the Greek words anti, meaning "against", and bios, meaning "life") are a type of antimicrobial drug used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. They may either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria.

Chemotherapy (/kiːmoʊˈθɛrəpi/, from the Greek words chemia, meaning "chemicals", and therapeia, meaning "healing") is a type of cancer treatment that uses one or more anti-cancer drugs as part of a standardized chemotherapy regimen. Chemotherapy may be given with a curative intent, or it may aim to prolong life or to reduce symptoms.

History

The discovery of antibiotics began with Alexander Fleming's discovery of Penicillin in 1928. This marked the beginning of the modern era of antibiotic therapy. The term "chemotherapy" was first coined by Paul Ehrlich in the early 20th century to describe his work in using chemical compounds to treat diseases such as Syphilis.

Types of Antibiotics

There are several types of antibiotics, each with a different mechanism of action and spectrum of activity. These include Penicillin, Cephalosporin, Macrolide, Fluoroquinolone, and Tetracycline.

Types of Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy drugs are classified into several categories based on their mechanism of action, chemical structure, and relationship to other drugs. These include Alkylating agents, Antimetabolites, Antitumor antibiotics, Topoisomerase inhibitors, and Mitotic inhibitors.

Side Effects

Both antibiotics and chemotherapy can have side effects. Common side effects of antibiotics include Nausea, Diarrhea, and Skin rash. Chemotherapy side effects can be more severe, including Hair loss, Fatigue, Nausea and vomiting, and Anemia.

Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major concern in modern medicine. It occurs when bacteria change in response to the use of antibiotics and become resistant to them. Similarly, Chemotherapy resistance can occur when cancer cells change in response to chemotherapy and become resistant to it.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Antibiotics and Chemotherapy
Wikipedia's article - Antibiotics and Chemotherapy

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Antibiotics and Chemotherapy