1.1 Introduction
Antibiotics can be defined as any chemical substance of small organic molecules which at low amounts are harmful to the metabolic activities and growth of other microbes (Brun and Skimkets, 2000). The natural products obtained from microorganisms are still appearing as the most auspicious source of the future antibiotics (Pelaez, 2006). Antibiotics which are mostly in use today are the natural derivatives of fungi and actinomycetes (Tawiah et al., 2012). In nature, there is universal dissemination of antibiotics among the microorganisms responsible for their antagonism (Euanorasetr et al., 2010).
As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.
1.2 Background of Study
Antibiotics are chemicals when the chemical are put into the body; they stop the growth of kinds of germs. They help the body to fight diseases. More than 3,000 years ago ancient people stumbled over the discovery that some moulds could be used as a cure. The egyptians, the chinese, and indians of central American would use mold to treat rashes and infected would. At that time they didn’t understand either diseases or treatment. As time went on, people began to gain some insight of disease. In the 1860 Louis Pasteur Shaw that many disease were caused it bacteria. Later he discovered that we may be able to fight germ and other microbes. It was two German doctors, who were first to make an effective medication form microbes.
Kudo if and Emmerich and Oscar has conducted their experiment in the 1890. They proved that germ that would for another. All the men did was to take the germ from infected bandages and grow then in a test tube. They would then isolate a particular germ that caused green in factions in open would. This germs was bacteria called Bacillus pyoicyaneus. They put them into another test tube containing other type of bacteria, it was then it happened that the bacillus pyocyaneus wiped out the other disease germ. The germ that was killed were those that caused cholera, typhoid, diphtheria and anthrau. From this the two men created a medication that they called pyoanase, it was the first antibiotics used in hospitals.
In 1928 Alexander Fleming, a Scottish scientist, discovered penicillin, the first antibiotics. He was keeping in a petn dish when a speck of mold fell in, it cause the mold to grow on the nutrient agar used to feed the bacteria. Surpassingly, it stopped the growth of the bacteria. Fleming through the mold called penicillin notatum produced a substance that killed the bacteria and so called it penicillin. However, he was not able to entrant it from broth in which he grew the mold.
In 1945, Waksman used the word antibiotics for the first time and proposed that it can be defined as a chemical substance of microbial origin that possesses antibiotic powers. He discovered a drug called streptomycin. It originated from microbes found in soil and was a cure for many intestinal diseases. Now antibiotics like penicillin and streptomycin was discovered. Each was effective against certain disease, but scientist wanted more. Doctors however, anted broad spectrum drug. That is a single antibiotic that could cure many disease.
The search proved successful one laboratory discovered Aureonycin, which is a drug that does the job of penicillin and streptomycin. Another laboratory discovered chloromycin. In 1949, yet another laboratory came with one of the effective antibiotics ever found, terranycin. This drug could be used against many bacteria disease (Katzung, 1994).
1.3 Statement of Problems
Investigation revealed that a lot of people have died as a result of formation of kidney stones, when taking sulphonamides due to lack of information about the side effect of antibiotics usage.
Due to the problem encountered in Enugu Urban (obiagu), most people abuse antibiotics owing to the general belief that antibiotics can be used in the treatment of all kinds of diseases. This can result to drug resist. Accumulation of these drugs can lead to internal denage. Hence this study which compares the antimicrobial strength of three antibiotics.
1.4 Aim and Objectives of the Study
The aim of the study is to analyze the Antimicrobial Strength of three most Commonly Used Antibiotics. In achieving this aim, the following objectives were laid out as follows:
- To identify causative organism that are delectious to man’s health;
- To determine the potency of the different antibiotics; and
- To know the type of organism sensitive to the different antibiotics.
1.5 Research Hypothesis
In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.
Hypothesis One
- H0: Streptonyin is not effective comparing the strength of the three antibiotics.
- H1: Streptomycin is more effective comparing the strength of the three antibiotics.
Hypothesis Two
- H0: Chloramphenicol is not effective comparing the strength of the three antibiotics.
- H1: Chloramphenicol is effective comparing the strength of the three antibiotics.
Hypothesis Three
- H0: Gentanicin is not effective comparing the strength of the three antibiotics.
- H1: Gentamicin is more effective comparing the strength of the three antibiotics.
1.6 Significance of Study
This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.
1.7 Scope of Study
This scope of this research is focused on the Comparative Analysis of Antimicrobial Strength of three most Commonly Used Antibiotics in Enugu. The study is limited to the maximum inhibitory concentration and also to know the organism sensitive to the different antibiotics under certain temperature.
1.8 Limitations of the Study
During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:
- Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
- Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
- Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
- Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet).
1.9 Definition of Technical Terms
Synergistic: Synergistic is the interaction between two or more substance, it is used to describe things that produce, result from or otherwise involve synergy
Antibiotics / Antibacterial: Antibacterial anything that destroys bacteria or suppresses their growth or their ability to reproduce. Heat, chemicals such as chlorine, and antibiotic drugs all have antibacterial properties.
Activity: the condition in which things are happening or being done.
Constraint: a limitation or restriction.
Estimate: roughly calculate or judge the value, number, quantity, or extent of.
Total: comprising the whole number or amount.
Phenolic: a usually thermosetting resin or plastic made by condensation of a phenol with an aldehyde and used especially for molding and insulating and in coatings and adhesives.
Compound: a thing that is composed of two or more separate elements; a mixture.
Methanol: Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol amongst other names, is a chemical and the simplest alcohol. It is a light, volatile, colourless, flammable liquid with a distinctive alcoholic odour similar to that of ethanol.
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