A N TIB IO TIC C LA SS IFIC ATIO N B Y

S P EC TR U M O F A C TIV ITY A N D
TY P E O F A C TIV ITY

Group I

Melda Yunita
Muh. Noor Adrian
Siti Nur Azizah
Susi Ratnaningtyas
Priyanto Dwi Nugroho
Ni Putu Ratna Ayu Krishanti
Nurul Hidayah

Spectrum ofActivity of
Antibiotics

Narrow-spectrum antibiotics
(narrow activity)
This antibiotics are mainly
effective against a limited
group of microbes and
exhibit lower toxicity to the
host

Gram-positive bacteria
Example: penicillin G and penicillin V,
erythromycin, clindamycin, kanamycin
Gram-negative bacteria
Example: streptomycin, gentamicin,
polymyxin-B, nalidixic acid

Broad-spectrum antibiotics
(broad activity)
This antibiotics effective
against many types of
microbes and tend to have
higher toxicity to the host

Example: sulfonamides, ampicillin,

cephalosporins, chloramphenicol,
tetracycline and rifampicin

(Lambert

Classifi
cation ofantibiotics by spectrum of
action

(Southwick 2009)

(Southwick 2009)

(Crueger and Crueger,

Type ofAntibiotic Activity

Type ofAntibiotic Activity

bacteriostatic

means that the

agent prevents the
growth of bacteria
(i.e., it keeps them
in the stationary
(Pankey
dangrowth).
Sabath
phase of
2004)

(Madigan et al.
2012)

Type of Antibiotic Activity

antibiotic
bacteriostatic
inhibit the growth of
bacteria
sulphonamid, tetraciklin,
chloramphenicol, macrolid
(eritromicin, azitromicin)
trimetropim, linkomicin, klindamicin

Type ofAntibiotic Activity

bactericidal

means that
antibiotic kills
bacteria.
bactericidal
usually to kill
every
microrganism (if,
for instance, the
(Pankey
danis
Sabath
inoculum
large)
2004)
within 1824 h

(Madigan et al.
2012)

Type of Antibiotic Activity

antibiotic
bactericidal
kill bacteria
beta lactam antibiotic (penicilin,
cephalosporin), polypeptid antibiotic
(polymikcin, vancomicin, bacitracin),
siclocerin, rifampicin,
chotrimoksazol, isoniazid, nalidixic
acid, carbapenem

Whether a drug is bactericidal or bacteriostatic

often depends on:
its concentration at the infection site
the susceptibility of the microorganism to the
drug.
Successful treatment with bacteriostatic
antibiotics depends on the ability of the hosts
immune system to eliminate the inhibited
bacteria and an adequate duration of drug
therapy. Stopping an antibiotic prematurely can
result in rapid resumption of bacterial growth.
Bactericidal drugs are preferred in serious
infections, especially in people with impaired
immune function.

References
Crueger W, Crueger A. 1984. Biotechnology: A Textbook of
Industrial Microbiology. US: Science Tech, Inc.
Lambert PA. 1998. Mechanism of action of antibiotics. Di dalam
Hugo WB dan Russell AD, editor. Pharmaceutical Microbiology.
London (UK): Blackwell Science Ltd.
Madigan MT, Martinko JM, Stahl DA, Clark DP. 2012. Brock Biology
of Microorganisms 13th ed. San Francisco (US). Benjamin
Cummings.
Pankey GA, Sabath LD. 2004. Clinical relevance of bacteriostatic
versus bactericidal mechanisms of action in the treatment of
Gram positive bacterial infections. Clinical Infectious
Diseases.38:864870.
Southwick FS. 2009. Anti-infective therapy. Di dalam Southwick
FS, editor. A clinical short course: Infectious Disease . New
York (US): McGraw-Hill Medical Publishing Division