Antibiotics - Drugs: Antibiotics and Painkillers (GCSE Biology)
Drugs: Antibiotics and Painkillers
Drugs
A drug is any substance that is taken into the body that changes or affects chemical reactions in the body. There are different kinds of drugs for example, antibiotics and painkillers.
Antibiotics
- Antibiotics reduce bacterial growth and can stop its spread. Therefore they actually reduce the number of pathogens and treat the underlying problem, rather than just treating the symptoms like painkillers.
- Antibiotics kill bacteria. Antibiotics work by killing infective bacteria in the body. They do not damage the host cells, but instead specifically target bacteria. An example of an antibiotic is penicillin.
- Each bacteria requires a specific antibiotic. Different bacteria have different properties, so must be targeted by certain antibiotics. Antibiotics target specific aspects of a bacterium’s structure in order to harness these weaknesses, for example certain antibiotics attack the cell walls of bacteria. Therefore, different antibiotics are required for different types of bacteria.
- Antibiotics are a key part of medicine. Antibiotics have saved many lives over the years, and antibiotics allow us to do many things that were previously impossible. Everyday medical treatments, such as surgery, would be impossible without antibiotics.
Painkillers
- Painkillers are used to relieve symptoms. They do not get rid of infection. Examples include ibuprofen and paracetamol.
- Painkillers help relieve pain or other symptoms but don’t treat the cause. For example, if you have a bacterial infection, the painkillers don’t kill the bacteria but help soothe the symptoms.
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