Define Antibiotics, How are microbes used in formation of Antibiotics.

Define Antibiotics, How are microbes used in formation of Antibiotics.

Antibiotics are chemicals, obtained from different microbes. These chemicals retard or terminate the growth of harmful microbes. This content  includes the Definition of  Antibiotics, How are microbes used in formation of Antibiotics.

Discovery of first antibiotics

Alexander Flemming was the first who discovered the first antibiotic called penicillin when he was working on Staphylococcus  bacteria.  He observed that  these bacteria were not growing around the mould ( Penicillium notatum) on a culture plate.  He stated that the chemical that is produced by the mould is capable of inhibiting the growth of bacteria. 

This chemical was successfully isolated from Penicillium and was named Penicillin. Interestingly The potential and working capacity of Penicillin was established by Ernest Chain and Howard Florey. 

This antibiotic was extensively used in treating of American soldiers during world war second. For this, Flemming , Chain and Florey got the Nobel Prize in Medicine . In the present, Penicillin G and Penicillin N have been produced from Penicillium notatum and Penicillium chrysogenum. This antibiotic is capable of treating the diseases caused by cocci group bacteria.

Different types of Antibiotics

Streptomycin in other antibiotics, was first isolated by renowned Waskman from the Streptomyces griseus. This antibiotics is quite effective against the gram -ve bacteria. For Ex- Gentamicin  and Kanamycin are used to treat the infection of Pseudomonas and Mycobacterium.

Tetracycline most well. antibiotics isolated from streptomyces aureofaciens. This antibiotics is effective against the infection of  Gram+ve and Gram -ve bacteria both. For Ex- Chlortetracycline is prominently used to treat the infection of pneumonia, anthrax etc.

Chloromycetin or chloramphenicol was made from the Streptomyces venezuelae. This antibiotics is used in treatment of  typhoid and paratyphoid fever, dysentery , trachoma etc. 

Polymyxin is obtained from bacteria Bacillus polymyxa. This is used to  treat meningitis. Erythromycin was Isolated from Streptomyces erythreus and used in treatment of tonsillitis and wound infection.

Cephalosporins are derived from cephalosporium acremonium and given in case of urinary and respiratory tract infection. Bacitracin has been produced from Bacillus subtilis. It has a synergic effect and is used in the treatment of surgical infection.