Penicillin:The most famous of all antibiotics, named for thefungalmoldPenicillium notatumfrom which it is derived.Penicillinacts by destroying thecellwall of细菌.
Penicillin is active against a number of types of bacteria includingStreptococcus pneumoniae, Listeria,Neisseria gonorrhoea,Clostridium, Peptococcus, and Peptostreptococcus.
Most staphylococci now are resistant to penicillin. Today, manyderivatives of penicillin are available which act on more types of bacteria than penicillin itself.
The name "penicillium" was taken from the Latin "penicillum" meaning "a painter's brush" because the fronds of thefunguswere thought to look like a painter's brush.
For information about thepharmacologyof penicillin, see Penicillin V, See also:Penicillin history.
