Biological compounds are mostly differentiated on the basis of their chemical formulas. In the interdisciplinary field of organic chemistry, cyclical and structural compounds have widespread pharmaceutical functions. On the same lines, penicillin and cyclosporine are two medicinal hydrocarbons that find wide usage in most pharmacies around the world for the treatment of various bodily ailments.
Penicillin vs Cyclosporine
The main difference between penicillin and cyclosporine is that the former enhances the body’s overall immune response while the latter lowers it considerably. Both drugs should be consumed only under the strict vigilance of a medical practitioner. These two medications also differ on the basis of chemical formula.
Penicillin is an antimicrobial drug used to treat infections in the body that are caused by a specific category of bacteria. The types of penicillin include natural penicillins, beta resistant penicillins, aminopenicillins, etc. They are used to treat more complex forms of bacterial infections in internal organs. The extended-spectrum range and inhibitor combination are equally effective.
Cyclosporine is a natural immunosuppressant drug. It is also commonly referred to as a calcineurin inhibitor. It is mostly combined with steroids for further fuelling efficiency. It cannot be bought directly from pharmacies without any prescription.
Comparison Table Between Penicillin And Cyclosporine
| Parameters of Comparison | Penicillin | Cyclosporine |
| Definition | It is an antibacterial drug that aids the immune system in fighting all types of invading microorganisms and thus reduces signs of infection. | It is an immunosuppressant used to support organ transplants and in some cases, treat arthritis and psoriasis as well. |
| The severity of Side Effects | Less severe side effects, negligible on oral administration. | Severe side effects can be observed, including tremors, hypertension, renal dysfunction. and the like. |
| Average Dosage Allowed | Approximately 250 mg, normally permissible thrice a day after every eight hours (as per requirement). | No fixed dosage; based on the severity of the health condition and the target organ. |
| Scientific Names | Natural antibiotic | Calcineurin inhibitor |
| Also Available Under Commercial Names | Streptomycin, Sulfonamide, Tetracyclin, etc. | Gengraf, Neoral, SandIMMUNE, etc |
What is Penicillin?
Penicillin is also known as a natural penicillin antibiotic (regarded as the drug class). The three most common ways of administration include intravenous, intramuscular, and oral. The half-life lasts from thirty minutes to one hour. This is why doctors advise maintaining this gap between penicillin and other pharmaceutical compounds. Since the infections are widespread, the bioavailability of this particular drug is capped at approximately fifty percent.
It aids in effectively combating certain infections caused by bacteria. The most common of those are known to be staphylococcus. It is easily available without any clinical mentions, in local pharmacies as well. Some of the most common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, and other severe types of gastric reactions in the body.
Consumption of penicillin with food is reported to decrease its efficiency. There should be a gap of at least an hour between the previous and next meal. The only issue with consuming this medicine with food is that the time taken to reach peak serum concentrations is increased. As a result, the concentration is also lowered in the body. It is suitable for use in infants as well as children. Penicillin should never be administered to pregnant women, irrespective of the severity of their health condition.
What is Cyclosporine?
Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant. This category of drugs is used to manage the body’s defense mechanisms. The medicine is used after an organ transplant has occurred. It ensures that the immune system does not fight away this new addition by mistakenly judging it to be a foreign invasion. The condition is also known as post-surgery organ rejection in medical terms. As a result of cyclosporine administration, resistance to infections is decreased.
Various hypersensitive patients might not be able to handle the after-effects of this drug. The use of this drug is similar to that of prophylaxis. Kidney and liver transplants are closely related to the procedure. Rheumatoid arthritis can also be treated using cyclosporine after other types of drugs fail to prove their efficiency. On the other hand, symptoms of psoriasis can also be kept at bay.
Common components include carbon and hydrogen. Cyclohexane stands out each time. Trusted brands should be used and the expiry dates should be checked thoroughly. The side effects of cyclosporine are deeper than those of penicillin. The age bar is not predecided since a variety of organ transplants might occur in people of all ages. One of the most severe side effects of excessive cyclosporine consumption by a person has been reported to be that of glomerular capillary thrombosis.
Main Differences Between Penicillin And Cyclosporine
- The drug named penicillin is an antimicrobial medication. A diluted version of cyclosporine is administered as immunosuppressant.
- The side effects of penicillin include vomiting and diarrhea. Cyclosporine overdose might lead to hypertension.
- The drug class of penicillin is referred to as natural antibiotic. On the other hand, cyclosporine is made up of hydrocarbon named cyclohexane and comes under the category of natural calcineurin inhibitor.
- The dosage of penicillin is capped at 250 mg while cyclosporine has no fixed dosage for treatment.
- Penicillin is sold as Streptomycin, etc while cyclosporine is sold as Neoral, etc.
Conclusion
The categorization of various medicinal drugs is done mostly on the basis of the target site inside the body. While mentioning the body, it must not be assumed that these pharmaceutical compounds work only on humans. Animals can also be administered with light drugs but only under the strict clinical supervision of a reliable vet. After the conduction of successful experiments, dogs have been included in the category of safe users of cyclosporine.
In the case of combined usage of two drugs, the side effects might not be as noticeable as the exclusive administration. Medical experts are of the opinion that a minimum permissible gap of six to twelve hours must be maintained when switching from one medicine to another and vice versa. As far as penicillin and cyclosporin are concerned, the dosage varies considerably based on changes in the particular health condition.
References
- https://academic.oup.com/cid/article-abstract/11/5/691/314164
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc1386176/
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