Historical Background of Antibiotic:
World`s first antibiotic date back to 500 BC when moldy soybean was used to cure boils in China.
In 1890`s Rudolf Emmerich and Oscar took first step in the field of Antibiotic treatment. They created Pyocyanase from bacteria called Bacillus pyocyaneus taken from infected bandages. But it was a failure as this drug cannot be used clinically because of its toxic nature.
In 1908, Gelmo synthesized Sulfanilamide (1st sulfonamide antibiotic ever). Today Sulfanilamides are the biggest family of antibiotics having large number of derivatives. By 1945 Pharmacologists had 5488 derivatives of sulfanilamide (sulfonamides) family alone. This shows the growth rate of the field of antibiotic and its importance.
In 1926 a revolution in the field of antibiotics came when Bacteriologist Dr. Alexander Fleming isolated Penicillin from a blue green mould, Penicillium notatum, while he was working at St. Mary`s Hospital at London. At that time during World War II it was called miracle drug because of their stunning record for safety and efficacy. In 1941 it was most clinically used drug which saved lives of thousands of soldiers and common people who became victim of World War II. But Penicillin could only be used clinically in 1940 when Edward Florey and Eenst Chain isolated active ingredient of Penicillium notatum and developed the powdered form of Penicillin. Today penicillin is obtained commercially from Penicillium crysogenum. That`s why penicillin is also called as the miracle drug.
In 1935, G. Domagk introduced Prontosil (only active in vitro) but converted in the body to sulfanilamide moiety (active in vivo) which was secreted in the urine; it was an analog of vitamin para-aminobenzoic acid.
In 1939, Rene Dubos isolated gramicidin and tyrocidin from Bacillus brevis; This antibiotic is active against gram positive bacteria mainly.
In 1942 Procaine penicillin G was invented by Howard Florey and Ernst Chain which was at that time used for Pneumonia, Tetanus and Diphtheria.
1944/5 Selman Waksman Isolated streptomycin from Streptomyces griseus (soil microbes); It is active against some gram negatives bacteria and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. He then coined the term Antibiotic.
Next breakthrough came in 1955 with the discovery of first broad spectrum antibiotic Tetracycline. Under Yellapragada Subbarao, Benjamin Duggar made his discovery of the world`s first tetracycline antibiotic, Aureomycin.
In 1957 Nystatin was patented and used clinically to cure many disfiguring fungal infection.
In 1960 Methicillin and Mitronidazole was introduced followed by Ampicillin, Streptomethoxazole and Trimethoprim in 1961.