Antibiotics: solving an evolving problem | Feature

Timeline of the discovery, introduction and observed resistance of antibiotics
Antibiotic class; example	Year of discovery	Year of introduction	Year resistance observed	Mechanism of action	Activity or target species
Sulfadrugs; prontosil	1932	1936	1942	Inhibition of dihydropteroate synthetase	Gram-positive bacteria
β-lactams; penicillin	1928	1938	1945	Inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis	Broad-spectrum activity
Aminoglycosides; streptomycin	1943	1946	1946	Binding of 30S ribosomal subunit	Broad-spectrum activity
Chloramphenicols; chloramphenicol	1946	1948	1950	Binding of 50S ribosomal subunit	Broad-spectrum activity
Macrolides; erythromycin	1948	1951	1955	Binding of 50S ribosomal subunit	Broad-spectrum activity
Tetracyclines; chlortetracycline	1944	1952	1950	Binding of 30S ribosomal subunit	Broad-spectrum activity
Rifamycins; rifampicin	1957	1958	1962	Binding of RNA polymerase β-subunit	Gram-positive bacteria
Glycopeptides; vancomycin	1953	1958	1960	Inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis	Gram-positive bacteria
Quinolones; ciprofloxacin	1961	1968	1968	Inhibition of DNA synthesis	Broad-spectrum activity
Streptogramins; streptogramin B	1963	1998	1964	Binding of 50S ribosomal subunit	Gram-positive bacteria
Oxazolidinones; linezolid	1955	2000	2001	Binding of 50S ribosomal subunit	Gram-positive bacteria
Lipopetides; daptomycin	1986	2003	1987	Depolarization of cell membrane	Gram-positive bacteria
Fidaxomicin (targeting Clostridium difficile)	1948	2011	1977	Inhibition of RNA polymerase	Gram-positive bacteria
Diarylquinolines; bedaquiline	1997	2012	2006	Inhibition of F1FO-ATPase	Narrow-spectrum activity (Mycobacterium tuberculosis)