Antibiotics: Types and Best Brands in Nigeria

In your lifetime you must have taken antibiotics at least once either for the treatment of ear infection, urinary tract infection, skin infection, or others. anti-infective is the most used medication in medicine and they are large classes of drugs that cover ranges of infection like:

• Fungal such Athletes foot
• viral such as HIV
• Bacterial such as Bladder infection
• protozoal such as head lice

Our focus here will be on antibiotics. it might interest you to know that antibiotics do not work against any viral infection and there is no single antibiotic that cures every infection. it treats infections caused by bacteria by killing the bacteria or prevent them from reproducing and growing.

10 Infections that are commonly treated with antibiotics.

1. Acne
2. Bronchitis
3. Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)
4. Otitis Media (Ear Infection)
5. Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s)
6. Skin or Soft Tissue Infection
7. Streptococcal Pharyngitis (Strep Throat)
8. Traveler’s diarrhea
9. Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
10. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

Types of Antibiotics.

There are different kinds of antibiotics grouped together base on how they work. each working against certain types of bacteria and they come in different brand names: the main types are:

1. Penicillins – e.g, phenoxymethylpenicillin, flucloxacillin, and amoxicillin.
2. Cephalosporins – e.g, cefaclor, cefadroxil, and cefalexin.
3. Tetracyclines – e.g, tetracycline, doxycycline, and lymecycline.
4. Aminoglycosides – e.g, gentamicin and tobramycin.
5. Macrolides – e.g, erythromycin, azithromycin, and clarithromycin.
6. Clindamycin.
7. Sulfonamides and trimethoprim – e.g, co-trimoxazole.
8. Metronidazole and tinidazole.
9. Quinolones – e.g, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and norfloxacin.
10. Nitrofurantoin – used for urinary infections.

List of top 10 Generic antibiotics

Amoxicillin
there are different brands of amoxicillin. they are penicillin antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and infections of the ear, nose, throat, skin, or urinary tract.
it can also be used together with clarithromycin (Biaxin) to treat stomach ulcers caused by H.pylori infection. Do not take amoxicillin if you have any medical condition or if you are allergic to any penicillin antibiotic without your doctor’s knowledge.

Doxycycline
This is a tetracycline antibiotic us to fight many bacterial infections like acne, urinary tract, periodontitis (gum disease), infections, chlamydia, gonorrhea, intestinal infections, respiratory infections, eye infections, syphilis, and others. doxycycline is also used to treat acne-like lesions caused by rosacea and in treating blemishes and bumps. children under the age of 8 should not use doxycycline.

Cephalexin
It is used in the treatment of bacterial infections like bone infections, ear infections, urinary tract infections, skin infections, and upper respiratory infections. it can be used by adults and children who are more than a year old. Cephalexin is a cephalosporin antibiotic.

Ciprofloxacin

This is a fluoroquinolone (flor-o-KWIN-o-lone) antibiotic used in the treatment of bacterial infection and also used to treat people who have been exposed to anthrax or a type of plague. it has only been approved for adult use and should only be used for an infection that can not be treated with safer antibiotics.

Metronidazole
This is an antibiotic used in the treatment of bacterial infection of the vagina, stomach or intestines, joint, heart, brain, respiratory tract, liver, and skin. metronidazole does not treat vaginal yeast infection.

Azithromycin
it is an antibiotic used in the treatment of bacterial infections such as skin infections, respiratory infections, ear infections, eye infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and other purposes.

Amoxicillin and clavulanate
this is a prescription used in the treatments of bacteria infection, such as pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, and infections of the skin. this prescription help to fight bacteria and also prevent it from becoming resistant to amoxicillin.

levofloxacin
sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim

Best Brands of  antibiotics

• Amoxil (amoxicillin)
• Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate)
• Flagyl, Flagyl ER
• Cipro
• Keflex
• Bactrim, Bactrim DS
• Levaquin
• Zithromax
• Avelox
• Cleocin

Conclusion

Antibiotics are not to be taken for the fond of it. they can reduce how well they work if taken incorrectly and can cause bacteria to change their form to become resistant to some antibiotics if abused. they have several side effects and some can complicate health issues. do not share medicines with others, consult your doctor before using any drug, and use the complete dose of antibiotics for only the indication prescribed.