Question

What is the purpose of having drugs that are not selectively toxic such as those that breakdown the plasma membrane of a cell and why would a doctor choose to prescribe that type of medication?

Answer 1

Antibiotics are the medication used to treat any infection.The drugs can be categorized into two selective toxicity(kills the microorganisms directly ) and non selective toxicity (this destroys the plasma membrane namely outer and inner membrane of the microorganisms and thus the organism dies .This can also destroy the cell membrane or the plasma membrane of the body cells (renal system and nervous system) so called as non selective toxicity drugs.

The main purpose of using it is to treat any gram negative bacterial infection.These bacteria has lipopolysaccharide and the drug is lipophilic in action kills he bacteria.

The doctor may choose this drug for the following reason

• As last choice of drug when other treatment is not available
• Benefits outweigh the risk
• In case of multidrug resistance
• Any major abdominal surgery (HIPEC )
• To treat gram negative bacterial infection