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DRUGS[edit | edit source]
Types of Drugs[edit | edit source]
Drugs are generally classified according to the organ at which they have a effect and the nature of that effect. Therefore, one drug may have several classifications according to which heading it falls under.
The first synthetic anti-bacterial drugs belonged to the sulpha-group and were discovered in 1935. The sulpha-group drugs, such as the sulfonamides, paved the way for the antibiotic revolution in medicine. The term antibiotic was coined in 1942 to describe a drug produced by a micro-organism that was antagonistic to other micro-organisms. Alexander Fleming discovered the first micro-organism that can be described as an antibiotic and, later, Florey and Chain developed penicillin as a therapeutic drug for which all three were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1945.
Antibacterial drugs are classified according to their mode of action. Drugs that kill bacteria are called bactericides, which includes antibiotics such as penicillin and its derivatives, as well as antiseptics and disinfectants. Drugs that prevent the bacteria from reproducing are called bacteriostatic and the sulphonamides fall into this group.
Administration of Drugs[edit | edit source]
Drugs may be administered by mouth, by injection and by inhalation. Drugs, other than by ingestion, are said to be given by the parenteral route. Sustenance may also be given by the parenteral route. In response to this type of administration, adverse reactions generally occur when the drugs migrate to other organs and cause side effects. Mild side effects may be acceptable, for example diarrhea in the case of an antibiotic when the alternative is a serious disease, but severe allergic reactions may be life-threatening and are not acceptable.
Drugs administered in combination may have an additive effect as in the case of anti-depressants (eg. Amitriptyline) taken together with sedatives (eg. Benzodiazepines), both may act on the respiratory centre of the autonomic nervous system and the combined effect may have life-threatening consequences.