Antibiotics stand as invaluable tools in modern medicine, revolutionizing our ability to combat bacterial infections and save countless lives. These medications, grouped into seven main classes based on their mechanisms of action and structure, play a pivotal role in healthcare. Understanding these classes is essential to comprehending how antibiotics function and how they can effectively target bacterial infections. 1. Penicillins Among the oldest and most widely used antibiotics, penicillins, derived from the Penicillium fungi, disrupt bacterial cell walls. By inhibiting the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, these antibiotics render the bacteria vulnerable, ultimately leading to their destruction. Amoxicillin and ampicillin are examples of commonly prescribed penicillins. 2. Cephalosporins Similar to penicillins in their mode of action, cephalosporins also target the bacterial cell wall. The...