
Abstract
Antibiotics discovery is deliberated one of the most significant
achievements of science in 20th century. It modernized both veterinary and
human medicine to treat infectious diseases. All the drugs used to combat
bacterial infection in both human and animals are termed as antibiotics.
Antibiotics can be obtained from natural sources like plants & prokaryotes,
and can be synthesized in vitro. Antibiotics are classified into bacteriostatic
(cure infection by inhibiting bacterial growth) and bactericidal (cure
infection by killing prokaryotes) on the basis of their mechanism of action.
Further classification of antibiotics based on their site of action within
prokaryotic cells. Use of antibiotics to treat infections in human and
animals has become very common in previous century. Prophylactic use of
antibiotics in humans, animals, and antibiotic persistence in environment
has provoked antibiotic resistant in pathogenic bacteria. Due to increase in
bacterial resistance against antibiotics, scientists developed alternatives of
antibiotics to combat with infectious diseases. Probiotics, antimicrobial
proteins, bacteriophages and plant-derived compounds are promising
substitute of antibiotics to prevent and cure infectious diseases. Antibiotic
persistence in environment and prophylactic use of antibiotics in humans
and animals are the major factors that develop remittance against
antibiotics in pathogenic bacteria. The healthy food is the best alternate to
antibiotics and other medicines. This review articles focuses on history of
antibiotics discovery, their uses to treat infectious medicine, antibiotic
classification, antibiotic resistant and alternatives of antibiotics.
Keywords: Antibiotics, Antibiotics Classification; Infectious diseases;
Antibiotic resistance; Alternatives to antibiotics.