Penicillin is both the name of a single antibiotic and the name of a widely used group of antibiotic medicines. Penicillin works on bacterial infections by destroying the bacteria’s cell walls. What is Penicillin? Penicillin is a group of antibiotics (medications used to treat bacterial infections) that work in a specific way to destroy bacteria in your body. Types of penicillin and drugs closely related to them are called “penicillins.” They’re a subclass of beta-lactam antibiotics. Penicillin cures a wide range of bacterial infections, from common ones like strep throat and ear infections to serious conditions like syphilis, bacterial meningitis, and pneumonia. It remains one of the most prescribed antibiotics in the world nearly a century after its discovery, though antibiotic resistance has narrowed its effectiveness against certain bacteria. Infections Penicillin. Penicillins are a type of antibiotic derived from Penicillium fungi. An antibiotic is a type of medicine that inhibits the growth of, or kills, bacteria. Penicillin G (also called benzylpenicillin) was discovered by accident in 1928. Penicillin is a type of antibiotic that treats bacterial infections like pneumonia and strep throat. Some bacteria have become resistant to penicillin, making the drug less effective. Overview: Penicillin is an antibiotic that is used to treat bacterial infections. It kills certain types of bacteria by blocking their ability to create their cell wall. The most common side. Penicillins were among the first medications to be effective against many bacterial infections caused by staphylococci and streptococci. They are still widely used today for various bacterial infections, though many types of bacteria have developed resistance following extensive use. While working at St Mary's Hospital in London in 1928, Scottish physician Alexander Fleming was the first to show experimentally that a Penicillium mould secretes an antibacterial substance, which he named penicillin. Penicillin V is one type of penicillin antibiotic and is used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections such as ear infections, throat infections, skin infections and preventing rheumatic fever. It should only used if the bacterial infection is sensitive to penicillin V. Penicillin, antibiotic derived from Penicillium mold, one of the first antibiotics to be discovered.