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Bacteriostatic antibiotics limit the growth of bacteria by interfering with bacterial protein production, DNA replication, or other aspects of bacterial cellular metabolism.

Bacteriostatic antibiotics inhibit growth and reproduction of bacteria without killing them; killing is done by bactericidal agents. Bacteriostatic agents must work with the immune system to remove the microorganisms from the body. However, there is not always a precise distinction between them and bactericides; high concentrations of some bacteriostatic agents are also bactericidal, whereas low concentrations of some bacteriocidal agents are bacteriostatic.

This group includes the

• tetracyclines
• sulphonamides
• spectinomycin
• trimethoprim
• chloramphenicol
• macrolides
• lincosamides

[edit] See also

• list of antibiotics
• oligodynamic effect

v • d • e Medication > Pharmacology Pharmacokinetics ADME: Absorption • Distribution • Metabolism • Excretion (Clearance) Loading dose • Volume of distribution (Initial) • Rate of infusion Compartment • Bioequivalence • Bioavailability Onset of action • Biological half-life • Plasma protein binding Phase 1 reaction • Phase 2 reaction Therapeutic index (LD50/ED50) Pharmacodynamics Toxicity (Neurotoxicology) • Dose-response relationship (Efficacy, Potency) Antimicrobial pharmacodynamics: Minimum inhibitory concentration/Bacteriostatic • Minimum bactericidal concentration/Bactericide Agonism and antagonism Agonist: Inverse agonist • Irreversible agonist • Partial agonist • Superagonist • Physiological agonist Antagonist: Competitive antagonist • Irreversible antagonist • Physiological antagonist Other Drug tolerance: Tachyphylaxis Drug resistance: Antibiotic resistance • Multiple drug resistance Related fields/subfields Pharmacogenetics • Pharmacogenomics • Neuropsychopharmacology (Neuropharmacology, Psychopharmacology)