- Allergy treatment
- Antimicrobials for systemic use
- Antiparasitic drugs
- Cardiovascular system
- Dermatology
- Drugs affecting metabolism
- Drugs used in sensory organ disorders
- Gastrointestinal tract
- Haemopoietic system and blood
- Locomotor system
- Nervous system
- Respiratory system
- Systemic hormones
- Urogenital system and Sexual hormones
Antimicrobials for systemic use
- Antimicrobials overview
- Antimicrobials application and classification
Antibiotics are the most commonly used and prescribed medicines in the treatment of bacterial infections. Antibiotics are generally used to treat bacterial infections caused by sensitive microorganisms. The majority of available antibiotics are considered effective and safe medicines in the treatment of bacterial infections. However, in prolonged use they may change gastrointestinal flora causing a negative impact on the human organism. Moreover, some antibiotics like aminoglycosides or fluoroquinolones may cause serious side effects. Antibiotics are commonly classified according to their action mechanism, chemical structure or spectrum of antibacterial activity. Antibiotics acting on bacterial cell wall (beta-lactam), cell membrane (polymixins), bacterial enzymes (quinolones, sulfonamides) exert bactericidal effect. Those antibiotics which act on biosynthesis of proteins (tetracyclines, aminoglycosides,macrolides) possess bacteriostatic action. Depending on chemical structure, antibiotics are divided into several main groups:
- Beta-lactams (penicillins and cephalosporins)
- Macrolides
- Quinolones
- Tetracyclines
- Carbapenems
- Aminoglycosides
- Polymyxines
- Lincosamides
Antiviral medicines are a group of drugs used to treat infections caused by viruses. Viruses can cause various types of infections, beginning from common flu and ending with very serious illnesses like chicken pox, hemorrhagic fevers and AIDS. Antivirals drugs usually work by interfering with the viral replication. Because of high frequency of viral mutations, it is rather difficult to develop new antiviral medicines that would help fight viral infections. The majority of antivirals are designed to treat herpes simplex, HIV, influenza, hepatitis A and B viruses. Antiviral drugs are divided into the following groups:
- Nucleosides
- Cyclic amines
- Neuraminidase inhibitors
- HIV-protease inhibitors
- Inhibitors of reverse transcriptase
Antifungals are medications indicated for the treatment of fungal infections such as candidiasis (thrush), athlete's foot, ringworm, systemic fungal infections, cryptococcal meningitis. The most widely used antimycotics are imidazole derivatives. They work by interfering with the production of ergosterol which is essential component of the fungal cellular wall. This results in increased permeability of fungal cells and their lysis. The classification of anti-fungal agents is usually based on their chemical structure:
- Polyenes (natural antimycotics)
- Imidazoles
- Allylamines
- Others like Griseofulvin or Potassium iodide
Antiparasitics include a group of medicines which used to treat infections caused by parasites. Antiparasitics are classified according to their action target:
- Antinematodes
- Anticestodes
- Antitrematodes
- Antiamoebics
- Antiprotozoals
