Tag: drugs and their classification

An antimicrobial tends to destroy/prevent development of microbes such as bacteria, fungi, virus, or other parasites selectively, and inhibit their pathogenic actions. 
Alexander Fleming was the first to discover a natural antimicrobial fungus known as Penicillium rubens. The substance he extracted from the fungus was named Penicillin. 

Anti-microbials are classified as:
1. Anti-biotics
2. Antiseptics
3. Disinfectants
Antiseptics are anti-microbials which are applied to the living tissues such as wounds, cuts, ulcers and diseased skin surfaces.
Soframicin is an antiseptic.
All the other compounds given are antibiotics.

Following was the idea of Paul Ehrlich.
Chemicals which would adversely affect the invading bacteria but not the host, can be used for the treatment of diseases caused by the bacteria.
Paul Ehrlich was a German Bacteriologist. He prepared compounds containing arsenic for treating syphilis. In 1908, he got the Nobel Prize for discovering arsphenamine (salvarsan) to kill syphilis bacteria.
He also worked on azo dyes containing $-N=N-$ linkage similar to $-As=As-$ linkage in salvarsan, and prepared antibiotic protonsil.

The drug which is used to cure diseases caused by microbes or microorganisms is called as an antimicrobial. Microorganisms like fungi, bacteria and virus cause variety of diseases in human beings. Antimicrobials kill or stop the growth of these microorganisms.

Salvarsan is the medicine used for Syphilis. It is also called arsphenamine.
It was the first antibacterial, discovered by Paul Ehrlich (a German Bacteriologist). In 1908, he got the Nobel Prize for discovering arsphenamine (Salvarsan).

Antimicrobials are effective on all bacteria, viruses and fungi.
Microorganisms like fungi, bacteria and virus causes variety of diseases in human beings. Antimicrobials kill or stop the growth of these microorganisms.

In the year 1908, Paul Ehrlich (a German Bacteriologist) got the Noble Prize for medicine for discovering arsphenamine (Salvarsan). It was the first antibacterial discovered by Paul Ehrlich, used for the cure of Syphilis.

Paul Ehrlich promoted chemists "to study the relationship between structure and activity".
He himself worked on azo dyes, containing $-N=N-$ linkage similar to $-As=As-$ linkage in Salvarsan.

The first antibacterial discovered by Paul Ehrlich (a german bacteriologist) was Salvarsan (also called arsphenamine).
In 1908, he got Nobel prize for discovering arsphenamine (salvarsan) to kill syphilis bacteria.

In 1932, Paul Ehrlich prepared antibiotic Prontosil.
Prontosil contains $-N=N-$ linkage similar to $-As=As-$ linkage in Salvarsan. In human body, the sulpha drug prontosil gets converted into sulphanilamide.