History Of Quinolone Antibiotics
By www.menhealthonline.biz
The fluoroquinolone family is a relatively new group of antibiotics. They were first introduced in 1986, but they are really modified quinolones. The parent of the group is nalidixic acid. The majority of quinolones belong to a subgroup called fluoroquinolones, which have a fluoro group attached the central ring system. Both terms are used to describe antibiotics in this class.
The fluoroquinolones have become an increasingly popular class of antibiotics for use in a variety of infections. These drugs are the only class of antimicrobial agents in clinical use that are direct inhibitors of bacterial DNA synthesis. Fluoroquinolones inhibit two bacterial enzymes, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, which have essential and distinct roles in DNA replication.
The fluoroquinolones are classified into generations based on their antibacterial spectrum, with earlier generation quinolones more effective against Gram-negative bacteria and the spectrum of activity expanding to include more Gram-positive bacteria with the later generations.
The first-generation agents ("quinolones") had poor distribution into the body tissues and limited activity. They were used mainly for treatment of urinary tract infections. The early quinolones include: cinoxacin, nalidixic acid and oxolinic acid.
Second-generation fluoroquinolones have significantly increased antibacterial activity. These antibacterial agents have increased gram-negative activity, as well as some gram-positive and atypical pathogen activity. Compared with earlier quinolones, these drugs have broader clinical use in the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis, sexually transmitted diseases, pneumonias
