What are antibiotics made from? What are the actual ingredients?
In: 5
Its different for each type, and mode of administration. Meaning, it depends on whether its taken by mouth, topically, like on your skin, or by a shot.
But mostly, theres some fermentation that happens in order to grow the part of the antibiotic that is being administered.
You will also generally find something in it to give it a more stable shelf life, to keep it able to work, between manufacturing and dispensing. Aluminum is one of these preservatives, but dont worry. Your body actually produces aluminum, too, weirdly enough.
Then you also have to have something added to it to ensure that it is absorbed properly, which brings us to the “fillers.” Now, most of the fillers are designed (say in an oral antibiotic) so that the tablet dissolves at a certain time, when taken as directed. Some tablets need to be dissolved in the stomach, some need to be more dissolved in the colon, etc. With lab testing and formulation, the antibiotic medication can dissolve at just the right time, to give you the best results. So lets just call “fillers” the stuff that dissolves and is non toxic, and also dissolves at different rates.
Sometimes a larger pill has more cushioning, or fillers in it, because some of the fillers are made to protect your more vulnerable tissues from harm.. this is one more reason why you shouldnt take a pill in any way other than as directed. Your doctor can prescribe you a crushable medication, if you have trouble swallowing, for instance. You shouldnt make that call yourself, ever, or else you can hurt yourself further.
There is sometimes also a sort of delivery assistant in the chemical composition of an antibiotic, which can assist your body with being able to be helped by it.
Almost everything distrusting people say is “made in a lab” is actually naturally occurring, and mixed (compounded) in a specific way to achieve a high level of good for a person with an infection.
With extensive math skills and a little chemical change, a substance can go from being marginally helpful, to having almost miraclulous magical healing powers. Its not magic though. Its just science.
Scientists who think about chemistry a lot, sometimes have ideas they want to test. This is why so many grants are offered for medical research.. Sometimes, an idea is tested, and the findings are published. The new idea itself can gain momentum, so even if original testing doesnt end up getting good and desirable results, along the way, someone is sure to figure out a solution, bringing us to a cure or at the least, a higher quality of life.
We spend a lot of money on medicine in the USA, as a means of providing an incentive to drug companies and researchers, to keep coming up with ideas and testing them. This helps drug makers to be able to mass produce medicines for people around the world, making them affordable, even in the poorest areas. We take a lot of pride in this.
This is a good LONG article on how antibiotic-making is done, if you have time to read it, its a good and easy read. Good night!! Sleep well.
http://www.madehow.com/Volume-4/Antibiotic.html
(I am a preschool/VPK/K, 1st grade teacher, so I am explaining stuff to 5 year olds every day lol)
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