PENICILLIN DRUG
AKSHAT KHANDELWAL
Introduction
Penicillin (the wonder drug) is an antibiotic from a
penicillium mold, which kills off bacteria. This
antibiotic works by breaking down cell walls, which
make it impossible for the bacteria to live. Human
cells are not affected because they do not have cell
walls.
This drug is very effective for killing bacteria in the
body. Penicillin would kill diseases like pneumonia,
syphilis, gonorrhea etc. Another thing Penicillin can
do is to protect your body from infections. This is
very important in case you get a cut with deadly
bacteria in it.
History
For centuries people have been dying from deadly
bacteria. Until penicillin was discovered there was no
known form of antibiotic to cure infectious diseases.
In 1838 18,000 English and Welsh people died from
pneumonia (a treatable disease 100 years later), which
is caused by infection by deadly bacteria. Many
scientist were trying to find a pill you could swallow
that killed bacteria.
It wasnt until 1928 that an antibiotic was found;
2
Future Problems
Although the antibiotic era dates from Flemings
discovery of the effects of the fungus Penicillium
notatumin 1928, not until 1940 could penicillin be
produced in a sufficiently pure form to treat
humans.1 Ominously, a lactamase (penicillinase)
capable of inactivating penicillin was described in the
previous year. Over the next few decades the
production of new classes of antibiotics (derived from
living organisms) and antimicrobials (synthesised
chemicals) increased exponentially, and the burden of
infection was lifted, especially in developed
countries. In recent years concern has increased that
the antibiotic era might be coming to an endfirstly,
because the rate of production of new agents has
diminished greatly and, secondly, because viruses,
bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and parasites are showing
great ingenuity in devising mechanisms for
circumventing the killing activity of such agents.
So great is the concern that several committees both
in the United Kingdom and elsewhere are examining
different aspects of the problem. This week the House
What is antibiotic resistance? Here is a simple example. If you get a strep throat and take
penicillin for it, the penicillin will kill off most of the streptococcal (strep) bacteria. But a few
strep bacteria might survive. These survivors are, for many different reasons, resistant to
the medicine. The next time around, your strep throat might not respond to penicillin.
You can acquire drug-resistant bacteria in many different ways. They can come from
overusing antibiotics, or taking them when they arent necessary, as for a viral infection.
You can develop resistance to antibiotics by eating meat treated with antibiotics. Its also
possible to get an antibiotic-resistant infection from other peopleeven, unfortunately,
from health care professionals.
Why is antibiotic resistance a problem? The major issue is that commonly used antibiotics
will become less able to treat common infections. That means doctors must turn to more
powerful and sometimes less friendly antibiotics, or may not have anything in their
arsenal.
References
1. Selwyn S. The beta-lactam antibiotics; penicillins cephalosporins in perspective. London:
Hodder and Stoughton; 1989. pp. 155.
2. House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. Resistance to antibiotics and
other antimicrobial agents. London: Stationery Office; 1998.
3. Gregory Curfman, M.D.Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Publications