Antibiotics are often used to treat pathologies that are infectious or bacterial in nature. However, their number is so large that it is not always possible for the patient to understand which drug is right for him. Naturally, self-medication is not worth it. The doctor will help you choose the right remedy. But most often used semi-synthetic penicillin. He has been known for over 80 years.
What is the product?
So, semi-synthetic penicillin is an analogue of a natural substance that has new, very valuable properties, and is considered more effective than its predecessor. That is, it can act in cases where pathogens develop resistance to the effects of natural penicillin.
Drugs of this group are considered one of the most effective against a large number of diseases, so they are widely used. In addition, they are almost completely safe for the body. That is why they are often prescribed in the treatment of pregnant women, as well as children.infancy.
Semi-synthetic penicillin is more resistant to acid, so it can be taken already in tablet form. It has a long lasting effect. That is, this group of drugs is the most common and widely used in medical practice.
The principle of action of an antibiotic
So, the products of the presented group contain a β-lactam ring in their composition. It is it that makes it possible to stop the production of peptidoglycan by a cell of a harmful microorganism. That is, the growth and reproduction of the pathogen stops, it does not renew itself, which means it dies. At the same time, the substance does not negatively affect the cells of the human body, since they do not contain peptidoglycan.
In addition, the β-lactam ring disrupts the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, which provokes an abnormal metabolism inside it. In general, semi-synthetic penicillin is very effective in combating various infections of internal organs, surgical pathologies.
Means Benefits
So, it is necessary to further consider what advantages this group of drugs has. Semi-synthetic penicillins have the following advantages:
- They are able to effectively act even on those pathogens that have already developed resistance to the action of this type of antibiotic.
- Many drugs have a wide spectrum of action, that is, they can destroy a large number of different bacteria.
- Most of the penicillins in this grouphas a distinctive property: resistance to the effects of gastric acid. That is, tablets will be no less effective than injections.
Application features
The group of semi-synthetic penicillins is the most common among all existing antibiotics. They are produced in various forms. In the pharmacy you can buy syrup, tablets, powder for dilution or ready-made liquid for injection. The powder is usually packaged in glass bottles of a certain volume, which are closed with a rubber cap and a metal cap. After opening the bottle, the antibiotic should be used immediately, as it is not stored for a long time when opened.
Powder is used to prepare an intramuscular or subcutaneous solution. To dilute it, a special liquid is used. There are also granulated powders that are used to prepare a suspension for oral administration. Most often, this form of antibiotic is used to treat young children.
However, the most common form of manufacture are tablets. Due to the fact that some drugs of the presented group are resistant to the effects of gastric acid, the main substance in them is not destroyed. That is, they remain as effective as possible even after getting into an aggressive environment.
Indications for use
In the presence of any infectious or bacterial pathology in the body, the doctor has the right to prescribeantibiotics. Semi-synthetic penicillins can be used to treat the following conditions:
- Inflammation of the lungs, infection of the pleura.
- Septic endocarditis.
- Gynecological diseases that are accompanied by an inflammatory process and are characterized by the appearance of pus.
- Anthrax.
- Sepsis.
- Peritonitis.
- Infection of the throat, nose or ears.
- Meningitis.
- Gas gangrene.
- Diphtheria.
- Gonorrhea, syphilis.
- Leptospirosis.
- Scarlet fever.
- Infection of the ureters and biliary tract.
- Wound infections of the skin or soft tissues, which are accompanied by the release of pus.
- Gonococcal conjunctivitis, orbital phlegmon, keratitis, trauma to the eyelids or the eye itself.
In addition, this list can be expanded. As can be seen from the presented indications, penicillins are used to treat diseases of almost all human organs.
What are the contraindications for use?
Despite the fact that semi-synthetic penicillins, the spectrum of which is very wide, are almost completely safe for humans, they still have some contraindications for use:
- Allergic reaction to the drug or its components.
- Organic intolerance to certain groups of medications.
However, there are few cases of allergies. But when prescribing penicillin drugs, the doctor must conduct a tolerance test.the patient of these funds.
What adverse reactions can occur?
Side effects of semi-synthetic penicillins are described in sufficient detail. They can have different intensities. In most cases, the manifestations are minimal and do not pose a danger to the life and he alth of the patient. After taking drugs based on penicillin, the following adverse reactions may occur:
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Eosinophilia.
- Increase in overall body temperature.
- Pain in the head.
- Bronchial spasm.
- Edema (even angioedema).
- Neurotoxic reaction.
- Arthrapia (secondary articular disease caused by other diseases).
- Convulsions.
- Coma.
- Allergic reaction. It can be slow or abrupt.
- Phlebitis or thrombophlebitis (when administered intravenously).
- Stomatitis (when using tablet form).
In any case, the list of adverse reactions can be expanded indefinitely. However, with the timely discontinuation of this group of drugs, adverse reactions disappear within a few days. However, severe allergies can lead to the death of the patient. Therefore, it should be contraindicated for him to take penicillins in any form (even with food).
Classification of funds
So, drugs based on semi-synthetic penicillins can be divided into the following groups:
- Penicillinase-stable: Oxacillin, Methicillin.
- Carboxypenicillins:"Ticarcillin", "Carbenicillin".
- Antipseudomonal:
- Aminopenicillins: "Amoxicillin", "Ampicillin" (the most common). These semi-synthetic broad-spectrum penicillins are not resistant to the effects of beta-lactanases. However, they can be taken as tablets.
- Uridopenicillins: Mezlocillin, Azlocillin.
Despite the fact that each group of such semi-synthetic agents is intended to combat certain diseases, if they are ineffective, they cannot be combined with other bacteriostatic antibiotics. It may harm the body.
Which solvent to choose for powder dilution?
In order to administer an antibiotic intramuscularly or subcutaneously, the powder must be turned into a liquid. Various solvents are used for this. The most common of them are: saline, water for injection, and Novocain.
If intramuscular administration of the drug is intended, then any of the above solvents can be used. But it should not be warm, since the effectiveness of the powder after dilution in this case may decrease. In summer, cold water can be used to lower the temperature of the solvent. You just need to lower the ampoule into a vessel with liquid for a few minutes. The temperature of the bottle should not exceed 18-20 degrees.
In order to reduce the feeling of discomfort during the injection, it is better to use saline after all. If the patient does not want tofeel no pain, then you can dilute the powder with Novocain, which has a local anesthetic effect. However, in this case, the prepared liquid may become cloudy due to the appearance of novocaine s alt of benzylpenicillin. However, this does not affect the quality or effectiveness of the drug.
The most common drugs: a brief description
If it is necessary to use semi-synthetic penicillins, drugs in each individual case are prescribed by a doctor. The most popular antibiotics of this group are:
- "Ampicillin". It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, effective against gram-negative and some gram-positive bacteria. From the stomach and intestines, the drug is absorbed rather slowly. The drug is well tolerated in most patients. When "Ampicillin" is taken together with oral anticoagulants, the effect of the latter is enhanced. The remedy is taken 4-6 times / day.
- "Amoxicillin". This is a drug similar to the previous one, which is characterized by more complete absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Most often, it is sold in the form of tablets, as it is resistant to the negative effects of gastric juice and does not break down under its influence.
- Oxacillin. This medicine is not only resistant to stomach acid, but also to those enzymes that can destroy penicillin. Due to the fact that it is quickly excreted in the urine, it will have to be taken quite often. The drug can be used in the forminjection.
Cephalosporin group
There is a separate group of antibiotics: semi-synthetic penicillins - cephalosporins. They come from the natural toxic drug Cephalosporin C. Drugs in this group are widely used in chemotherapy for the treatment of various infectious diseases.
Prescribing drugs of this group should only be a doctor who knows about the features of their action. For example, not all first and second generation products are equally effective. However, bacterial resistance to cephalosporins develops relatively slowly. It should be noted that the drugs of this group have a fairly strong toxic effect on the kidneys, even with the introduction of a relatively small dose (4-6 g).
That's all the features of drugs made on the basis of penicillin. Despite the safety of these antibiotics for the body, self-medication should never be done. Stay he althy!
