Dorothy FarrarPenicillin
Penicillin is an antibiotic available in various chemical modifications , which is obtained from suitable strains of molds, for example Penicillium notatum. Due to its structure, it is a so-called beta-lactam antibiotic. Although chemical syntheses of penicillin have also been successful in the meantime, the original method of extraction is still used for economic reasons. Despite increasing resistance, the original substance is still used in practical medicine.
The Discovery of Penicillin
The story of the discovery of penicillin is well known in medical circles – it is a good example of the detours that sometimes lead to scientific progress: Alexander Flemming, a Scottish bacterium researcher, accidentally forgot some of the prepared ones in his laboratory in 1928 over the summer holidays Bacterial cultures that could therefore vegetate for weeks and multiply diligently.
When the scientist returned to his laboratory after his vacation, he noticed that his bacterial culture medium was moldy in places – annoying actually. However, he found that bacterial growth seemed to be inhibited near the mold spots – following this phenomenon, he finally discovered the mold substance penicillin, which has an antibacterial effect. In 1945 Flemming received the Nobel Prize for his research – and from then on the first remedy against bacteria was available to mankind.
Medical application
Penicillin is a so-called beta-lactam antibiotic – this term describes a ring (beta-lactam ring) which forms the central building block of the molecule and is also responsible for its effect. Basically, penicillins hardly affect the metabolism of dormant bacteria ] – only when the germs want to multiply can the substance become active, suppress the growth of the bacterial strain (bacteriostatic effect) and even kill the dividing germs (bactericidal effect ) .
In order to understand the mechanism of action, one must know that bacteria (especially gram-positive germs) have a so-called “murein layer” of cross-linked proteins in their cell wall. An enzyme with the beautiful long name Muramoylpentapeptidecarboxypeptidase is used to build up and constantly repair this “bacterial shell” – and it is precisely this enzyme that penicillin blocks because it imitates the natural building block of cell wall synthesis with its beta-lactam ring. “Sand in the gears” of the bacterial enzyme – the cell wall is not repaired and the bacteria are destroyed.
Unfortunately, resistance to antibiotics also develops at the same level: Some bacteria have learned to produce a “beta-lactamase”, an enzyme that swims around and splits beta-lactam rings – the antibiotic then loses its effectiveness. Penicillin is used – this can also be explained by the mechanism – above all in infections with gram-positive germs (because only those have the cell wall with the murein layer).
Originally, penicillin G could be used against a large number of germs, but today its use is limited to a few infectious diseases due to a wide range of resistances, including streptococcal infections such as tonsillitis , scarlet fever or rheumatic fever , but also infections with meningococci ( meningitis ) and Gonococci ( gonorrhea , gonorrhea ) or Treponema pallidum ( lues , syphilis ).
For all other infections such as pneumonia or soft tissue infections, there are further developments of penicillins such as aminopenicillins, which are combined with beta-lactamase inhibitors and thus try to fight the resistance mechanism of the bacteria (Unacid® as a combination of the aminopenicillin ampicillin with the beta-lactamase Inhibitor sulbactam is one of the most commonly used antibiotics in German hospitals).
Interactions
Since penicillins are largely excreted unchanged via the kidneys and not metabolized in the liver, there are hardly any interactions with other drugs to consider. On the other hand, kidney diseases that are associated with reduced filtration performance (e.g. chronic renal insufficiency ) can lead to an increase in the concentration of penicillin in the blood – the dose must then be adjusted.
Are there alternatives to penicilin?
There are no herbal or homeopathic alternatives to penicillin. If there is a serious bacterial infection, an antibiotic may save lives and has done so often enough in recent medical history since the discovery of peniclin.
Nevertheless, it is important not to shoot at sparrows with a cannon and to treat every cold with an antibiotic – in particular the therapy of the almost always viral infections of the respiratory tract makes no sense at all, since penicillins ultimately only act on bacteria. At best, the risk of a secondary bacterial infection can be contained in people with weakened immune systems.
However, the more antibiotics are used across the board, the more bacteria will have the chance to become resistant. This is currently a major problem, especially in intensive care medicine.
If there are alternatives to penicillin, then of course they are in the other classes of antibiotics: cephalosporins, for example, are very similar active substances, but should be kept as a reserve. Penicillin should be used first whenever possible.
Risks and side effects
Some side effects of penicillin therapy should be considered: This can lead to problems in the gastrointestinal tract if the antibiotic destroys the natural intestinal flora. In up to ten percent of cases, allergies occur, which can develop from a simple skin rash to (very rare) severe anaphylactic shock. In addition, penicillin has a neurotoxic effect, so that nerve damage can also occur at very high doses. The impairment of the intestinal flora also disrupts the vitamin K formation of the intestinal bacteria, which in the long term can in turn cause coagulation disorders with a tendency to bleed.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.