Question

What effect do antibiotics have on normal body cells? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

None. They kill bacterial cells as they target specific parts of the bacteria that is not present in humans like peptidoglycan in bacterial cell wall.

Answer 2

Um... that's not quite correct @purplec16. For the purpose of @imalwaysbroken's class it's probably a fine answer, but this is a more correct answer (albeit a bit more complicated because it's real-world, not just a textbook definition).

The most widely known group of "original" antibiotics, Penicillin(s), works by causing the peptidoglycan in bacterial cell walls to (essentially) start dissolving. But there's many, many different types of antibiotics in today's world, using different mechanisms to destroy bacteria cells while not destroying animal cells (i.e.: human cells). Here's a good list of those:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_antibiotics

Why so many? Because of natural selection combined with the quick generation cycles for bacteria allow them to adapt resistances to the drugs incredibly quickly.

Furthermore, exposure over time at some concentrations (remember dosage = time of exposure * concentration) and adding in that there's a delayed response between getting the dose and seeing a response that often leads to giving more dosage than is necessary, can be toxic. This toxicity (which is often the result of how the drug is manufactured in the first place) leads to unintended side effects. And if that wasn't complicated enough the types of side-effects vary depending on the specific biochemistry variances and tolerances of the individual in question.

Two of the big issues with antibiotics is the continued development of multi-antibiotic resistant bacterial diseases and side-effects from long-term exposure or high concentrations.

Answer 3

How could you say it's not correct @agentx5 if it is correct but just not as in depth? and it was an example.... not what ALL antibiotic do... If she wanted me to go in depth I would have and that is not a textbook answer, btw... It is what I learned...

Answer 4

I didn't say it's not correct, I said it's not quite correct. As in not the whole picture. I also specifically stated your answer was sufficient answer for the likely scope of this person's question. :-)

Answer 5

Okay :). And fyi wikipedia is not considered a credible source in schools and universities...

Answer 6

Yeah because I thought your answer seem like a run-on sentence to what I said, lol.

Answer 7

No Wikipedia is not, but it's a good place to start the search for official academic resources.

Answer 8

I won't even recommend citing Wikipedia in a paper for instance. ;-P

Answer 9

Yeah sometimes you have to let them know that because some people go on there thinking it is true and they don't always site their sources...

Answer 10

That said it should be pointed out that Wikipedia does lock down access to certain topics after they have been peer-reviewed by experts in the field. They didn't used to do this, with often humorous results (i.e.: the "Kentucky: a land filled with people who eat squirrels")

Answer 11

Very good answer agentx5