Are antibiotics also anti-inflammatory drugs?

At present, many people confuse antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. In fact, they are fundamentally different. Antibiotics generally have effects on microorganisms, while anti-inflammatory drugs target inflammation in the body. Some diseases are not suitable for treatment with antibiotics. This article introduces in detail the differences between anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, the types of anti-inflammatory drugs, and the precautions when taking anti-inflammatory drugs. Let’s learn about it together.

1. The difference between anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics

Antibiotics do not act directly on inflammation, but rather kill the microorganisms that cause inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs are used to treat inflammation, such as commonly used anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs such as aspirin. Most people mistakenly believe that antibiotics can treat all inflammation. In fact, antibiotics are only effective against inflammation caused by bacteria, but not against inflammation caused by viruses. There are a large number of normal and beneficial bacteria in the human body. If antibiotics are used to treat aseptic inflammation, these drugs will suppress and kill the beneficial bacteria in the human body after entering the human body, causing bacterial imbalance and a decrease in resistance. Congestion, redness, swelling, pain of local soft tissues that often occur in daily life, contact dermatitis caused by allergic reactions, drug-induced dermatitis, and inflammation caused by viruses should not be treated with antibiotics.

2. What are the anti-inflammatory drugs?

2.1 Penicillins

Commonly used ones include penicillin G, penicillin V, methicillin (New Penicillin I), ampicillin (ampicillin), amoxicillin (hydroxyampicillin), ticarcillin (carboxytic thiophene penicillin), piperacillin (oxypiperacillin), etc. The main advantages of penicillins are strong bactericidal effects, few toxic side effects, safe use by pregnant women and children, and no effect on liver function.

2.2 Aminoglycosides

Aminoglycosides are broad-spectrum antibiotics with good bactericidal effects on Gram-negative bacteria and are suitable for lower respiratory tract, urinary tract, intestinal infections, etc. Different varieties have different characteristics. Gentamicin, tobramycin, netilmicin, and amikacin (amikacin) are commonly used varieties, among which netilmicin has stronger antibacterial activity and lower oto-renal toxicity.

2.3 Cephalosporins

Can be divided into four generations. The first-generation cephalosporins include cefazolin (Xianfeng No. 5), cefradine (Xianfeng No. 6), etc., and the oral ones include cephalexin (Xianfeng No. 4), cefradine (Xianfeng No. 6), cefadroxil, etc. Suitable for respiratory tract, skin and soft tissue, urinary and reproductive tract infections, etc.

3. Types of antibiotics

3.1 Aminoglycosides

Commonly used varieties include streptomycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, amikacin, and nicotinic acid. This type of antibiotic is stable in nature, has a broad antibacterial effect, and can kill sensitive bacteria under aerobic conditions.

3.2 Tetracyclines

Tetracycline, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, etc. This type of antibiotic is the most dangerous, so it is forbidden for pregnant women, breastfeeding women and children under 8 years old.

3.3 β-lactams

This category has the most varieties and the widest application, and includes two parts. ① Penicillin (pentacyclic lactam): Commonly used varieties include penicillin sodium, penicillin potassium, ampicillin sodium, amoxicillin, piperacillin, penicillin V potassium, etc. ② Cephalosporins (six-membered ring lactams): Commonly used varieties include cephalexin, cefadroxil, cefazolin sodium, cefradine, ceftriaxone sodium and other "cephalosporins".

3.4 Macrolides

Commonly used varieties include erythromycin, erythromycin ethylsuccinate, roxithromycin, midecamycin, acetylspiramycin, kitasamycin, etc.

3.5. The commonly used type of chloramphenicol is chloramphenicol.

3.6. Lincomycins: lincomycin and clindamycin.

3.7. Quinolones: norfloxacin, ofloxacin, lomefloxacin and other "floxacins".

3.8. Other major antibacterial antibiotics: Commonly used ones include norvancomycin, fosfomycin, capreomycin, rifampicin, etc.

Precautions for using anti-inflammatory drugs

1. People with allergies should use antibiotics with caution, and drugs that cause allergies are contraindicated.

2. Macrolides, sulfonamides, anti-tuberculosis and anti-fungal drugs should be used with caution in patients with liver dysfunction. When the latter two are used for a long time, liver function should be checked regularly. Cephalosporins can also damage liver function at higher doses.

3. Elderly and young patients should avoid using nephrotoxic and ototoxic drugs such as gentamicin, streptomycin, and kanamycin.

4. Sulfonamides inhibit thyroid function and are contraindicated in patients with hypothyroidism.

5. Chinese medicine preparations such as Shuanghuanglian oral liquid, Andrographis paniculata tablets, Rubescens rubescens tablets, Golden Lotus granules, and herbs such as wild chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, forsythia, dandelion, and scutellaria baicalensis are more suitable for non-purulent upper respiratory tract infections and have fewer side effects.

6. If there are no clear signs of infection, the use of antibiotics should be avoided as much as possible to prevent the development of drug resistance (bacteria adapt to and resist drugs) and dual infection (after sensitive bacteria are killed, insensitive bacteria infect the body due to loss of antagonism).

The dangers of antibiotics

1. Large-scale use of antibiotics can bring strong toxic side effects, directly harming the body, especially children's hearing. The most serious side effect of antibiotics is allergic reaction. Studies have shown that each antibiotic has varying degrees of harm to the human body. The ears are most sensitive to the side effects of antibiotics. For example, streptomycin, gentamicin, and kanamycin are most likely to affect ear hair cells and cause hearing loss.

2. Excessive use of antibiotics will cause bacteria to develop drug resistance, making the antibiotics less effective or even ineffective. Excessive use of antibiotics can also cause the bacteria they kill to become resistant.

3. Excessive and indiscriminate use of antibiotics will kill a large number of normal bacteria in the body, allowing pathogenic bacteria to take advantage of the opportunity to enter and cause death. For example, the intestinal bacteria in the human body are combined in a certain proportion. Each bacteria restricts and depends on each other, forming an ecological balance in quality and quantity. Long-term use of broad-spectrum antibiotics will inhibit sensitive intestinal bacteria, and the uninhibited bacteria will take the opportunity to multiply, thus causing dysbacteriosis, which can cause a deficiency of some vitamins and reduce the body's resistance.