MCQ Detailed View

The correct answer is Fungus. The first antibiotic ever discovered was Penicillin, which was extracted from a fungus called Penicillium notatum (later identified as Penicillium chrysogenum).

In 1928, the Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming observed that colonies of the fungus Penicillium produced a substance that killed or stopped the growth of certain bacteria. This accidental discovery marked a turning point in medical science. The substance released by the fungus was later named Penicillin, and it became the first widely used antibiotic in the world.

Antibiotics are chemical compounds that destroy or inhibit the growth of bacteria. Before their discovery, bacterial infections like pneumonia, tuberculosis, and septic wounds often led to death. The use of penicillin during World War II saved countless lives by preventing infections in wounded soldiers.

The significance of penicillin lies in the fact that it demonstrated how natural organisms like fungi can produce powerful substances capable of controlling harmful microbes. After Fleming’s discovery, scientists like Howard Florey and Ernst Chain further purified and mass-produced penicillin, making it available for global medical use.

It is important to note that antibiotics are effective against bacteria, not viruses. This is why antibiotics cannot be used to treat diseases like the flu, common cold, or COVID-19, which are caused by viruses.

Since the discovery of penicillin, many other antibiotics have been developed, some from fungi, others from bacteria. For example, streptomycin and tetracycline are antibiotics derived from bacteria.

🔑 Key Facts:

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  First antibiotic = Penicillin.

  
  


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  Source = Fungus (Penicillium notatum).

  
  


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  Discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming.

  
  


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  Mass production began in the 1940s.

  
  


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  Effective against bacteria, not viruses.

  
  

👉 Final Answer: The first antibiotic was extracted from a fungus.