4.6.15 Bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal antibiotics

Antibiotics work by targeting prokaryotic features not found in eukaryotic cells, e.g. penicillin targets the cell wall and breaks it down. Penicillin can be taken in large doses by humans because it has no effect on our cells (we have no cell walls).

 

Bacteriostatic antibiotics stop bacteria reproducing, they do not kill bacteria

 

Bacteriocidal antibiotics kill bacteria