Penicillin

The core structure of penicillin

Penicillin refers to a class of antibiotic drugs that have a common $\beta$-lactam core structure. Some bacterial have developed resistance to penicillins through the acquisition of $\beta$-lactamases, enzymes which degrade the $\beta$-lactam structures of the penicillin drugs. Although the discovery of penicillin is often attributed to Flemming, organisms which produce it have been used since ancient times to treat infections.

For more information about specific penicillin drugs, see these pages:

• Amoxicillin

• Ampicillin

• Azlocillin

• Carbenicillin

• Cloxacillin

• Dicloxacillin

• Flucloxacillin

• Hetacillin

• Oxacillin

• Mezlocillin

• Penicillin G

• Penicillin V

• Piperacillin