Since the 1940s, a variety of antibacterial substances have been discovered, designed and synthesized. The worldwide anti-infective market is now approaching $20 billion dollars annually, and antibacterial agents comprise the bulk of this trade. Several general classes of antibacterial drugs have emerged as mainstays in modern infectious disease chemotherapy. This work provides an introduction at research level to all the basic classes of antibacterial agents, with a discussion of their basic chemistry, pharmacology, molecular mode of action and synthetic approaches.

Since the 1940s, a variety of antibacterial substances have been discovered, designed and synthesized. The worldwide anti-infective market is now approaching $20 billion dollars annually, and antibacterial agents comprise the bulk of this trade. Several general classes of antibacterial drugs have emerged as mainstays in modern infectious disease chemotherapy. This work provides an introduction at research level to all the basic classes of antibacterial agents, with a discussion of their basic chemistry, pharmacology, molecular mode of action and synthetic approaches.

Since the 1940s, a variety of antibacterial substances have been discovered, designed and synthesized. The worldwide anti-infective market is now approaching $20 billion dollars annually, and antibacterial agents comprise the bulk of this trade. Several general classes of antibacterial drugs have emerged as mainstays in modern infectious disease chemotherapy. This work provides an introduction at research level to all the basic classes of antibacterial agents, with a discussion of their basic chemistry, pharmacology, molecular mode of action and synthetic approaches.