Antibiotics

An antibiotic is a type of medication used to treat bacterial infections. It works by targeting and either killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth. There are several classes of antibiotics, each with a specific mechanism of action. For example:

  • Penicillins: These inhibit the synthesis of bacterial cell walls, leading to cell lysis and death.
  • Macrolides: These interfere with bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the ribosome.
  • Tetracyclines: These also inhibit protein synthesis but do so by preventing the attachment of aminoacyl-tRNA to the ribosomal acceptor site.