How do antibiotics work? Detailed answer

BIG ENCYCLOPEDIA FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS
Free library / Directory / Big encyclopedia for children and adults

How do antibiotics work? Detailed answer

Big encyclopedia for children and adults

Directory / Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education

Did you know?

How do antibiotics work?

Antibiotics are chemicals. Once in the body, they kill or stop the growth of certain microbes, helping the body fight disease. The name "antibiotics" has been used in relation to these drugs since 1942. The word is derived from two Greek words meaning "against life." Antibiotics work against life forms we call germs and bacteria. Many antibiotics are made from microbes.

Microbes are small living organisms. For example, bacteria and molds are also microbes. The microbes used to make antibiotics are chosen for their ability to produce chemicals that can "wage war" against disease-causing microbes. In other words, man takes advantage of the struggle that takes place between microbes in nature. Microbes are constantly fighting for survival. In the process of this struggle, they produce rather complex chemical compounds. Investigating microbes, scientists found in them substances that can destroy pathogenic bacteria. If such chemicals are produced in the laboratory, and in large quantities, they can be used as raw materials for the manufacture of antibiotics.

How do antibiotics treat diseases? How do they get to the right part of the body where they need to work? How do antibiotics stop the growth of certain microbes? It may sound rather strange, but scientists have not yet come to an unambiguous answer to these questions. Some scientists believe that antibiotics block the access of oxygen to pathogenic bacteria. Without oxygen, they cannot reproduce.

Others believe that antibiotics prevent bacteria from getting nutrients from the patient's body, and they die of starvation. Still others believe that pathogenic bacteria confuse their usual food with antibiotics, "eat" them and "poison". Probably antibiotics work in different ways.

The same antibiotic can act differently on different bacteria. On one occasion, he kills them. In the other, it only weakens them and enables the natural protective resources of the body to fight the disease themselves.

Author: Likum A.

Random interesting fact from the Great Encyclopedia:

Where was the custom of self-immolation of women spread?

The custom of sati has long been widespread in India - the self-immolation of a widow on the funeral pyre of her deceased husband. Although this ritual was considered a voluntary act for a woman, there are drawings in which the widow is tied up in a fire or surrounded by observers with long poles that do not allow her to get out. However, sati cannot be called a mass phenomenon: according to the documentary data of the British East India Company of the early 19th century, self-immolation involved less than 1% of widows. Although both participation and observation of the ritual is strictly prohibited in India these days, there are occasional reports of new cases of sati.

Test your knowledge! Did you know...

▪ What is granite?

▪ What is a promotion?

▪ What kind of ants grow their homes through agricultural activities?

See other articles Section Big encyclopedia. Questions for quiz and self-education.

Read and write useful comments on this article.

<< Back

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

Machine for thinning flowers in gardens 02.05.2024

In modern agriculture, technological progress is developing aimed at increasing the efficiency of plant care processes. The innovative Florix flower thinning machine was presented in Italy, designed to optimize the harvesting stage. This tool is equipped with mobile arms, allowing it to be easily adapted to the needs of the garden. The operator can adjust the speed of the thin wires by controlling them from the tractor cab using a joystick. This approach significantly increases the efficiency of the flower thinning process, providing the possibility of individual adjustment to the specific conditions of the garden, as well as the variety and type of fruit grown in it. After testing the Florix machine for two years on various types of fruit, the results were very encouraging. Farmers such as Filiberto Montanari, who has used a Florix machine for several years, have reported a significant reduction in the time and labor required to thin flowers. ... >>

Advanced Infrared Microscope 02.05.2024

Microscopes play an important role in scientific research, allowing scientists to delve into structures and processes invisible to the eye. However, various microscopy methods have their limitations, and among them was the limitation of resolution when using the infrared range. But the latest achievements of Japanese researchers from the University of Tokyo open up new prospects for studying the microworld. Scientists from the University of Tokyo have unveiled a new microscope that will revolutionize the capabilities of infrared microscopy. This advanced instrument allows you to see the internal structures of living bacteria with amazing clarity on the nanometer scale. Typically, mid-infrared microscopes are limited by low resolution, but the latest development from Japanese researchers overcomes these limitations. According to scientists, the developed microscope allows creating images with a resolution of up to 120 nanometers, which is 30 times higher than the resolution of traditional microscopes. ... >>

Air trap for insects 01.05.2024

Agriculture is one of the key sectors of the economy, and pest control is an integral part of this process. A team of scientists from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Potato Research Institute (ICAR-CPRI), Shimla, has come up with an innovative solution to this problem - a wind-powered insect air trap. This device addresses the shortcomings of traditional pest control methods by providing real-time insect population data. The trap is powered entirely by wind energy, making it an environmentally friendly solution that requires no power. Its unique design allows monitoring of both harmful and beneficial insects, providing a complete overview of the population in any agricultural area. “By assessing target pests at the right time, we can take necessary measures to control both pests and diseases,” says Kapil ... >>

Random news from the Archive

New series of wet tantalum capacitors with maximum capacitance 26.08.2011

IHLP-6767DZ-11 is a new series of high current low profile inductors in 6767 package Vishay Intertechnology Inc. launched a new series of energy-intensive wet-tantalum capacitors with the highest capacitance values. The offered products have a rating in the range of 3000...72000 uF and an ESR of 0,035 Ohm at the maximum capacity.

Specifications:, The range of available ratings is 3000...72000 uF; Available voltage range 25...125 V; Accuracy of nominal value execution 20%; Operating temperature range -55...85°C, 125°C with voltage reduction.

Applications: low-voltage filters in power-saving circuits for military and aerospace systems - weapons systems, radars, repeaters, power supplies.

Other interesting news:

▪ Excess weight harms memory and learning ability

▪ Tablet PC ZenPad C 7.0

▪ Monday is not the hardest day

▪ Low noise precision amplifier

▪ Converting a conductor to a dielectric

News feed of science and technology, new electronics

Interesting materials of the Free Technical Library:

▪ section of the site For a beginner radio amateur. Article selection

▪ article Zhukovsky Nikolay. Biography of a scientist

▪ article How did the balalaika appear? Detailed answer

▪ article Leash knot based on a running knot. Travel Tips

▪ article Method for setting the duration of pauses in windshield wiper controls. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

▪ article Adjustable power supply with automatic voltage switching at the input of the stabilizer. Encyclopedia of radio electronics and electrical engineering

Leave your comment on this article:

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews