See Also: penicillin(dictionary)
penicillin N(medicine)
penicillin G(medicine)
penicillin(medicine)
penicillin v(medicine)
Penicillin-2(health)
Penicillin-vk(health)
penicillin B(medicine)
Penicillin(health)
penicillin(dictionary)

penicillin (iou)



penicillin noun. E20.
[from PENICILLIUM + -IN1.]
Orig., an antibiotic agent obtained from cultures of the mould Penicillium chrysogenum. Now, any of a group of antibiotics that are amino-substituted derivatives of 6-aminopenicillanic acid, produced naturally by certain moulds of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus or prepared synthetically, and active against many kinds of bacteria. Also with distinguishing letter, as penicillin G. E20.
In full penicillin A, penicillin B. = NOTATIN. Only in M20.
Comb.: penicillin unit a unit of penicillin having the same antibiotic activity as a certain quantity (almost exactly 0.6 microgram) of a standard preparation of the sodium salt of benzylpenicillin (penicillin G).
penicillinase noun any of several bacterial enzymes (lactamases) which can inactivate penicillins M20.