Final answer:
Antibiotics target bacterial cell components like ribosomes and cell walls, utilizing differences between prokaryotic bacteria and eukaryotic human cells to treat infections with minimal harm to the host.
Step-by-step explanation:
Antibiotics target specific parts of bacterial cells such as the ribosomes, cell walls, and metabolic pathways that are different from those of eukaryotic cells. One common target is the ribosomes of bacteria which differ from eukaryotic ribosomes. Drugs such as chloramphenicol act on these prokaryotic ribosomes, inhibiting protein synthesis, while usually not affecting eukaryotic cells. However, some side effects can occur, as human mitochondria have similar ribosomes to bacteria.
Another target is the bacterial cell wall. Compounds like penicillin inhibit the synthesis of peptidoglycan, a component unique to bacterial cell walls, which is crucial for bacterial survival and not present in human cells. This selective toxicity is the basis for the effectiveness of antibiotics and minimizes damage to the host's cells.
Understanding these targets is essential in developing antibiotics with the least amount of harmful effects on human cells while effectively eliminating bacterial pathogens.