What is Penicillin?

The name ‘penicillin’ describes a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi.
The different types of penicillin are: penicillin G, penicillin V, procaine penicillin and benzathine penicillin.
Simplistically put, penicillin prevents bacteria from growing and dividing by causing them to shed their cells walls.

What is Penicillin Used For?

Even though there exist many forms of penicillin-resistant bacteria, penicillin is still used to treat a massive range of infections caused by bacteria.
Penicillin G, usually injected into the patient, is used to treat syphilis, meningitis, pneumonia and septicaemia.
Penicillin V (or Phenoxymethylpenicillin), usually taken orally, is used to treat tonsillitis, pharyngitis, skin infections, spleen disorders, some cases of anthrax, early stage Lyme disease, and rheumatic fever.
Penicillin does have some side effects. Many patients will experience diarrhoea, nausea, rashes or hypersensitivity after taking penicillin.

Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin by accident. He noticed that is Penicillium rubens is allowed to grow in an appropriate substrate it produces an antibiotic substance.
Howard Walter Florey, Ernst Chain and Norman Heatley all contributed to building on Fleming’s discovery and developing penicillin for medical purposes.
Dorothy Hodgkin determined penicillin’s chemical structure.