penicillin

penicillin

any of a group of antibiotics with powerful bactericidal action, used to treat many types of infections, including pneumonia, gonorrhoea, and infections caused by streptococci and staphylococci: originally obtained from the fungus Penicillium, esp P. notatum. Formula: R-C₉H₁₁N₂O₄S where R is one of several side chains

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

penicillin

[‚pen·ə′sil·ən]

(microbiology)

The collective name for salts of a series of antibiotic organic acids produced by a number of Penicillium and Aspergillus species; active against most gram-positive bacteria and some gram-negative cocci.

benzyl penicillin sodium

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.