Micro 17: Antibacterial Agents

Clinical Deep Dives · Feb 16, 2026 · 39m

This episode explores the principles of antibacterial therapy. Drawing from Murray’s chapter, it examines how antibiotics exploit bacterial structure and physiology to achieve selective toxicity - harming microbes while sparing host cells.

The episode moves through major drug classes: cell wall synthesis inhibitors, protein synthesis inhibitors, nucleic acid synthesis inhibitors, metabolic antagonists, and membrane disruptors. Rather than memorising lists, the narrative frames each class as a strategic strike against a specific bacterial vulnerability.

Resistance mechanisms are addressed as…