Definition:

Antibiotic: A compound that inhibits the growth or kills bacteria. In recent years, ‘antibiotic’ has become synonymous with ‘antibacterial’.

Antibacterial: A drug, chemical or other substance that kills bacteria (bactericidal) or stops their growth (bacteriostatic).

Antimicrobial: A drug, chemical or other substance that kills, inactivates or slows the growth of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites.

For more information, see AntibioticDB.

 

Antibiotic Class Original source Examples Target(s)
Aminocoumarins Actinomycete natural products Novobiocin
Clorobiocin
Declovanillobiocin
Isovanillobiocin
Novclobiocin 101
Vanillobiocin
DNA gyrase
Aminoglycosides (incl. aminocyclitols) Actinomycete natural products or (semi)synthetically derived Streptomycin
Kanamycin
Amikacin
Gentamicin
Capreomycin
Plazomicin
Apramycin*
Arbekacin
Dibekacin
Hygrovetine*
Isepamicin
Neomycin
Netilmicin
Paromomycin
Sisomicin
Spectinomycin
Tobramycin
Ribostamycin
Micronomicin
Dihydrostreptomycin
Framycetin
Bekanamycin
Ribosome
Ansamycins (incl. Rifamycins)
(macrolides)
Actinomycete natural products or (semi)synthetically derived Rifampicin
Rifabutin
Rifapentine
Rifaximin
Rifamycin
Geldanamycin
RNA polymerase

Hsp90

β-lactams (carbapenems) Actinomycete natural product-derived Imipenem
Meropenem
Biapenem
Doripenem
Ertapenem
Faropenem
Olivanic acid
Panipenem
Razupenem
Ritipenem
Sanfetrinem
Tebipenem
Tomopenem
Cell wall biosynthesis
β-lactams (cephalosporins incl. cephems) Fungal natural products or (semi)synthetically derived 1st generation
Cefadroxil
Cefalonium
Cefazolin
Cephalexin
Cephaloridine
Cephalotin
Cephapirin
Cephradine
Cefacetrile
Cephaloglycin
Cefroxadine
Cefazedone
Cefatrizine
Ceftezole

2nd generation
Cefaclor
Cefamandole
Cefmetazole
Cefonicid
Ceforanide
Cefotetan
Cefoxitin
Cefprozil
Cefuroxime
Loracarbef
Flomoxef
Cefbuperazone
Cefotiam
Cefminox

3rd generation
Ceftazidime
Cefdinir
Cefditoren
Cefetamet
Cefixime
Cefmenoxime
Cefoperazone
Cefotaxime
Cefpiramide
Cefpodoxime
Cefsulodin
Ceftibuten
Ceftizoxime
Ceftriaxone
Latamoxef
Cefcapene
Cefodizime
Ceftolozane

4th generation
Cefpirome
Cefepime
Cefoselis
Cefozopran

Others
Cefiderocol
Ceftaroline
Ceftobiprole
Nitrocefin

Cell wall biosynthesis
β-lactams (penicillins) Fungal natural products or (semi)synthetically derived Penicillin V (Phenoxymethylpenicillin)
Penicillin G (Benzylpenicillin)
Amoxicillin
Ampicillin
Azlocillin
Carbenicillin
Cloxacillin
Dicloxacillin
Epicillin
Flucloxacillin
Hetacillin
Methicillin
Mezlocillin
Nafcillin
Oxacillin
Piperacillin
Sulbenicillin
Temocillin
Ticarcillin
Metampicillin
Penamecillin
Pivmecillinam
Pivampicillin
Pheneticillin
Amdinocillin (Mecillinam)
Carindacillin
Carfecillin
Cyclacillin
Talampicillin
Sultamicillin
Azidocillin
Propicillin
Bacampicillin
Aspoxicillin
Clometocillin
Meticillin
Cell wall biosynthesis
β-lactams (monobactams) Bacterial natural products or (semi)synthetically derived Aztreonam
Nocardicin A
Carumonam
Gloximonam
Oximonam
Pirazmonam
Tigemonam
Cell wall biosynthesis
β-lactamase inhibitors (Semi)synthetic Avibactam
Clavulanic acid
Durlobactam
Enmetazobactam
Nacubactam
Relebactam
Sulbactam
Tazobactam
Zidebactam
Vaborbactam
β-lactamase enzymes
Diaminopyrimidines / trimethoprim derivatives Synthetic Trimethoprim
Iclaprim
Brodimoprim
Epiroprim
Tetroxoprim
Folate metabolism
Fusidanes Fungi-derived natural products Fusidic acid
Helvolic acid
Cephalosporin P1
Ribosome
Glycopeptides Actinomycete natural products Vancomycin
Teicoplanin
Dalbavancin
Telavancin
Oritavancin
Cell wall biosynthesis
Lincosamides Actinomycete natural products Lincomycin
Clindamycin
Pirlimycin*
Ribosome
Lipopeptides Bacterial natural products Daptomycin
Surfactin
Cell membrane
Nitroimidazoles Synthetic Metronidazole
Tinidazole
Pretomanid
Secnidazole
DNA damage
Nitrofurans Synthetic Nitrofurantoin
Furazolidone
Nifurfoline
Nifurquinazol
Nifurtoinol
Nitrovin
Nifuratel
Nifuroxazide
Nifurtimox
Nifurzide
Nitrofurazone
Tinidazole
Furagin
Ribosome
Nucleosides Actinomycete natural products Puromycin
Capuramycin
Ribosome
Oxazolidinones Synthetic Linezolid
Contezolid
Eperezolid
Posizolid
Radezolid
Ranbezolid
Sutezolid
Tedizolid
Initiation of protein synthesis
Phenicols Actinomycete natural products or (semi)synthetically derived Azidamfenicol
Chloramphenicol
Forfenicol*
Tevenel
Thiamphenicol
Ribosome
Phenolics Synthetic Clofoctol
Chloroxylenol
Parachlorophenol
Unclear
Antiseptic
Pleuromutilins Fungal natural product or (semi)synthetically derived Pleuromutilin
Retapamulin
Lefamulin
Ribosome
Polyketides – type I (macrolides/ketolides) Actinomycete natural products Erythromycin
Telithromycin
Azithromycin
Clarithromycin
Cethromycin
Modithromycin
Roxithromycin
Spiramycin
Midecamycin
Rokitamycin
Solithromycin
Flurithromycin
Dirithromycin
Oleandomycin
Troleandomycin
Josamycin
Fidaxomicin
Ribosome

RNA polymerase

Polyketides – type II (tetracyclines) Actinomycete natural products Tetracycline
Doxycycline
Tigecycline
Omadacycline
Eravacycline
Chlortetracycline
Demeclocycline
Meclocycline
Methacycline
Minocycline
Oxytetracycline
Metacycline
Rolitetracycline
Penimepicycline
Lymecycline
Clomocycline
Sarecycline
Ribosome
Polypeptides Bacillus natural produced or (semi)synthetically derived Bacitracin
Colistin
Polymyxin B
Tyrothricin
Gramicidin
Colistimethate
Cell wall biosynthesis
(Fluoro)Quinolones Synthetic Nalidixic acid
Ciprofloxacin
Moxifloxacin
Levofloxacin
Sitafloxacin
Cinoxacin
Clinafloxacin
Danofloxacin*
Delafloxacin
Difloxacin*
Enoxacin
Enrofloxacin*
Fumequine
Garenoxacin
Gatifloxacin
Gemifloxacin
Grepafloxacin
Lomefloxacin
Marbofloxacin*
Nadifloxacin
Norfloxacin
Ofloxacin
Orbifloxacin*
Oxolinic acid
Pazufloxacin
Pefloxacin
Pipemidic acid
Prulifloxacin
Rufloxacin
Sarafloxacin*
Sparfloxacin
Temafloxacin
Trovafloxacin
Rosoxacin
Piromidic acid
Fleroxacin
Ozenoxacin
Nemonoxacin
Garenoxacin
Finafloxacin
Tosufloxacin
Besifloxacin
Lascufloxacin
Levonadifloxacin
DNA gyrase & DNA topoisomerase IV
Quinolines Synthetic Oxyquinoline
Chloroxine
Dequalinium
Antiseptic
Quartenary ammonium compounds Synthetic Benzoxonium
Tibezonium
Decamethoxine
Cetylpyridinium
Domiphen
Antiseptic
Streptogramins Actinomycete natural products or (semi)synthetically derived Pristinamycin
Virginiamycin
Dalfopristin
Quinupristin
Ribosome
Sulfonamides Synthetic Prontosil (sulfamidochrysoidine)
Sulfanilamide
Sulfabenzamide
Sulfacetamide
Sulfachlorpyridazine
Sulfadiazine
Sulfadimethoxine
Sulfaguanidine
Sulfamerazine
Sulfameter
Sulfamethazine
Sulfamethizole
Sulfamethoxazole
Sulfamethoxypyridazine
Sulfamonomethoxine
Sulfamylon
Sulfanitran*
Sulfaphenazole
Sulfapyridine
Sulfaquinoxaline*
Sulfathiazole
Sulfisoxazole
Sulfametomidine
Sulfamazone
Sulfalene
Sulfadoxine
Sulfametrole
Sulfaperin
Sulfamoxole
Sulfathiourea
Mafenide
Folate metabolism
Arsenic compounds Synthetic Arsphenamine (Salvarsan) Not clear
Diarylquinolines Synthetic Bedaquiline Proton pump inhibitor
Riminophenazines Synthetic Clofazimine DNA binding
Amino acid derivatives Actinomycete natural products Cycloserine Cell wall biosynthesis
Phosphonic acid derivatives Actinomycete natural products Fosfomycin Cell wall biosynthesis
N-substituted ethylenediamines Synthetic Ethambutol Cell wall biosynthesis
Hydrazide derivatives Synthetic Isoniazid NADH-dependent enoyl reductase
Medium-chain fatty acids Pseudomonas natural product Mupirocin (Pseudomonic acid A) Protein synthesis
Pyrazines Synthetic Pyrazinamide Not clear
Polychloro phenoxy phenols Synthetic Triclosan Fatty acid synthesis
Nicotinamide derivatives Synthetic Ethionamide Cell wall biosynthesis
Biguanides Synthetic Chlorhexidine Antiseptic
Hexamines Synthetic Methenamine Nonspecific
Depsipeptides Fungal natural product Fusafungine Unclear
Aminosalicylates Synthetic Aminosalicylic acid Folate metabolism
Benzenesulfonyls Synthetic Dapsone Folate metabolism
Peroxides Synthetic Benzoyl peroxide Antiseptic
Pyridinium derivatives Synthetic Pyrithione Antiseptic
N-acyl-alpha amino acids Synthetic Cilastatin Human dehydropeptidase (Co-administration with imipenem)