Bacterial cells have a distinct feature called cell walls which serve as the primary target of most chemotherapeutic drugs that are used to treat bacterial infections. The drugs selectively target bacterial cells by interfering with the cell wall synthesis, function, or stability, and this specificity is one of the key advantages of using such drugs to combat bacterial infections. Since human cells lack cell walls, the drugs that target them cannot affect human cells, thereby minimizing the potential for side effects in humans.
Additionally, some chemotherapeutic drugs target specific pathways in bacteria, such as the folate biosynthesis pathway. These drugs work by inhibiting specific enzymes that are essential for bacterial growth, leading to the death of the bacteria. These drugs are designed to selectively target bacterial enzymes without affecting human enzymes, making them an effective treatment option for bacterial infections.
However, the excessive use of these drugs can lead to the selection of resistant bacteria that can evade the action of the drug, making the treatment ineffective. Therefore, it is crucial to use these drugs judiciously and only when necessary to avoid the emergence of resistant bacteria.
Explanation
Bacteria form a cell wall composed of a macromolecule like peptidoglycans which are made up of short peptides and amino sugars. Human cells do not produce peptidoglycan. Penicillin prevents the final step of cross-linking or transpeptidation, in the assembly of this peptidoglycan hence inhibiting the bacteria and sparing the human cell.
There are various drug including sulfonamides that that inhibit pathways for bacterial metabolic pathways. Sulfonamides inhibit DNA biosynthesis by blocking folate synthesis hence sparing human cells because human cells have an alternative DNA biosythesis pathway which includes the denovo and the alternate pathway.
