In China, moldy tofu was used to treat rashes and boils as far back as 2,500 years ago, and in Korea, miso paste was used to treat wounds, indicating the efficacy of antibiotic substances. In the West, the concept of “antibiotics” was known before Fleming, but research and application were lacking. Antibiotics kill bacteria by inhibiting the production of their cell walls, and research is constantly needed to develop other antibiotics due to the emergence of resistant bacteria.
In China, moldy tofu has been used to treat rashes and boils since 2,500 years ago, and Korea has also used miso paste for wounds as a folk remedy, suggesting that our ancestors already knew the efficacy of the antibiotic substances contained in miso. This shows that ancient people discovered and utilized various treatment methods in nature. Even before Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, the West was already aware of the concept of “antibiotics” – the ability of one microbe to kill another – but lacked research and active application. These early discoveries laid the foundation for the development of antibiotics, but lacked a systematic and scientific approach.
In modern times, antibiotics have come to play an important role in many different fields. Not only in medicine, but also in agriculture, antibiotics have become an essential tool for the prevention and treatment of disease in livestock, which is directly linked to food safety. However, the overuse of antibiotics can lead to serious problems. For example, antibiotics used in livestock can be transferred to humans and promote the development of resistant bacteria. Therefore, antibiotic use needs to be strictly controlled and regulated.
Among the hundreds of antimicrobials that have been developed, some are actually isolated from microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that live in nature, while others are chemically synthesized. Among these, drugs such as isoniazid and ethambutol, which treat tuberculosis, are synthetic and not produced by living microorganisms, so they are not technically antibiotics. The distinction between antibiotics and antimicrobials is based on their source and mode of action, which has important implications for drug selection and treatment strategies. In addition, naturally occurring antibiotics can often be effective against a broader spectrum of microorganisms, while synthetic antibiotics are often targeted to specific pathogens.
Here’s how penicillin, the first antibiotic discovered by humans, works against bacteria. Normally, the cell wall of a bacterium has a layer called peptidoglycan, and the final step in its biosynthesis involves an enzyme called transpeptidase, which links glycoproteins on the outside of the cell wall, which penicillin inhibits, stopping the growth and differentiation of the bacteria that have infected the human body, thus killing them. The lysis of bacteria involves a bacterial enzyme called autolysase, and penicillin reduces the autolysase inhibitor present in the bacteria, causing the cells to break down quickly. This was realized by the isolation of mutant bacteria that were unable to lyse when penicillin inhibited their growth. In this way, penicillin exerts a powerful antimicrobial effect by directly interfering with the survival mechanisms of bacteria. However, bacteria that are resistant to penicillin have also emerged that prevent penicillin from being activated by penicillin-degrading enzymes. Such bacteria are said to be resistant to penicillin, which can be treated by choosing an antibiotic with a different mechanism of action.
The only time you’d want to take antibiotics directly into your body is when you have a severe cold. In the early stages of a cold, the influenza virus that caused the cold is left alone, and painkillers, decongestants, and fever reducers are used to treat symptoms such as headache, runny nose, and high fever. However, in the later stages of the illness, when a secondary infection develops around the throat, doctors often prescribe antibiotics. This is to prevent complications from bacterial infections rather than viral ones. If the symptoms don’t improve, the dose of antibiotics may be increased slightly or a different antibiotic may be prescribed. This is necessary because bacterial resistance and the effectiveness of the drug can vary from patient to patient.
The fight against antibiotic resistance is constantly requiring new and different types of antibiotics than the ones we’ve been using. The rise of resistant bacteria poses a huge challenge to the medical community, and it goes beyond simply developing new drugs to optimizing antibiotic use, preventing overuse, and finding ways to recycle existing drugs. Solving the problem of resistant bacteria requires global cooperation and the establishment of international regulations and management systems. For this reason, researchers and pharmaceutical companies are still scouring the four corners of the earth to find new classes of antibiotics. This is because we want to keep the advantage we have gained in the war against germs. Whether bacteria die or humans die, even the Creator doesn’t want to see his favorite creatures disappear from the face of the earth. Only humans have the wisdom to use penicillin missiles produced by blue molds to combat pathogens on this planet. Through constant research and innovation, we will continue to win the war against germs and protect human health and life.
In addition to the development of antibiotics, prevention and education are also important. Public awareness and education programs on proper antibiotic use are needed, as well as ongoing training for healthcare providers to improve the appropriateness of antibiotic prescribing. Ecological research and biotechnological approaches to discovering new antibiotics from nature are also important. Nature still holds many secrets, and there is great potential to find new treatments in it. It is important to preserve natural resources through environmental protection and sustainable development to protect human health.
In conclusion, advancing antibiotics and overcoming resistance is an area that requires continued research, innovation, and global collaboration. Antibiotics are the foundation of modern medicine and have helped humanity overcome many diseases. These efforts must continue in the future, so that we can build a healthier and safer world.
