Penicillin

medicine · bacteria · discovery

Made from mold. Penicillin comes from a special type of mold called Penicillium. Scientists discovered that this mold could kill dangerous bacteria, which was a huge breakthrough in medicine.

Fights tough germs. Penicillin works against nasty bacteria like staphylococci and streptococci that cause serious infections. Before penicillin existed, these infections could make people very sick or worse.

Grown in huge tanks. Today, penicillin is made in giant fermentation tanks where the mold grows and produces the medicine. The medicine is then carefully purified so it's safe and strong enough to use as a drug.

Bacteria fight back. After using penicillin for many years, some bacteria have learned how to resist it. This means doctors now have to use different medicines for infections that penicillin no longer works against.

Two main types. The two penicillins used in medicine today are penicillin G and penicillin V. They're made by purifying the compounds that the mold naturally creates.