Review article

The Antibiotics and the Gastro-intestinal Tract

Ljiljana Betica-Radić

Abstract

Antibiotics are a strong weapon in treating
intestinal and systemic infections, but at the same time by
influencing the normal residual flora of the alimentary tract
often lead to the unwanted side effects ranging from nausea,
vomiting and slight diarrhea to severe and life threatening
pseudomembranose colitis. Thus, physiological barriers of
the gastro-intestinal tract and the absorption of antibiotics
itself are presented first. Then is described an acute diarrhea
with the accent on its occurrence during traveling. Among gastrointestinal
side effects of antibiotics is again stressed diarrhea
caused by them. Having in mind that the traditional way
of treating infections by antibiotics, due to causing resistance
and eventual increase of treatment costs, the role of probiotics
and prebiotics is discussed as well, under the prism of
critical considerations.

Keywords

intestinal infections; antibiotics; apsorption; side effects; diarrhea

Hrčak ID:

19209

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/19209

Publication date:

20.9.2000.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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