Table 1.

Antibiotics’ classification by the mechanism of action.

Antibiotic Class		Target Site	Representatives
β-lactams	Penicillins	Cell wall synthesis	Penicillin G and Penicillin V, Methicillin, Oxacillin, Cloxacillin, Dicloxacillin, Nafcillin, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin, Carbenicillin, Ticarcillin, Mezlocillin, Piperacillin, Azlocillin, Temocillin
	Cephalosporins	Cell wall synthesis	1st generation: Cephalothin, Cephapirin, Cephradine, Cephaloridine, Cefazolin 2nd generation: Cefamandole, Cefuroxime, Cephalexin, Cefprozil, Cefaclor, Loracarbef, Cefoxitin, Cefmetazole 3rd generation: Cefotaxime, Ceftizoxime, Ceftriaxone, Cefoperazone, Ceftazidime, Cefixime, Cefpodoxime, Ceftibuten, Cefdinir 4th generation: Cefpirome, Cefepime 5th generation: Ceftaroline, Ceftobiprole
	Carbapenems	Cell wall synthesis	Imipenem, Meropenem, Doripenem
	Monobactams	Cell wall synthesis	Aztreonam
Macrolides		Protein synthesis inhibitors—Inhibit 50 s subunit	Erythromycin, Azithromycin, Clarithromycin
Tetracyclines		Protein synthesis inhibitors—Inhibit 30 s subunit	Tetracycline, Chlortetracycline, Oxytetracycline, Demeclocycline, Minocycline, Methacycline, Doxycycline, Tigecycline
Aminoglycosides		Protein synthesis inhibitors—Inhibit 30 s subunit	Streptomycin, Neomycin, Kanamycin, Paromomycin, Gentamicin, Tobramycin, Amikacin, Netilmicin, Spectinomycin, Sisomicin, Isepamicin
Sulfonamides		Folic acid synthesis inhibitors	Prontosil, Sulfonamide, Sulfanilamid, Para-Aminobenzoic Acid, Sulfadiazine, Sulfisoxazole, Sulfamethoxazole, Sulfathalidine
Quinolones		DNA synthesis inhibitors	Nalidixic Acid, Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin, Pefloxacin, Enoxacin, Ofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Sparfloxacin, Lomefloxacin, Fleroxacin
Izoniazid		Mycolic acid synthesis inhibitors
Ansamycin		RNA synthesis inhibitors	Rifampin
Polymycins		Cytoplasmic membrane structure
Daptomycin		Cytoplasmic membrane structure