Anti-tubercular agents are medications used to treat tuberculosis (TB), a potentially serious and contagious bacterial infection that mainly affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body.
These medications work by killing or inhibiting the growth of the bacteria that cause tuberculosis.
There are several classes of anti-tubercular agents, including:
1.First-line drugs:
These are the most commonly used medications for treating tuberculosis and include isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, and streptomycin.
2.Second-line drugs:
These are used when the first-line drugs are ineffective or cannot be used due to drug resistance or adverse effects.
Examples include fluoroquinolones, aminoglycosides, and injectable drugs such as kanamycin and capreomycin.
3.Novel drugs:
These are newer medications that have been recently approved for the treatment of tuberculosis or are still in development.
Examples include bedaquiline, delamanid, and pretomanid.
I. The choice of anti-tubercular agent(s) and the duration of treatment depend on several factors, including the severity of the disease, the patient's age and health status, and the drug susceptibility of the bacteria causing the infection.
II. Treatment usually involves a combination of several medications taken for several months to ensure complete eradication of the bacteria and prevent the development of drug resistance.