The Antibiotics Revolution Part 2: Penicillins and Cephalosporins

We just finished learning about how the antibiotics revolution got started, with the sulfa drugs. Now let's move on to the classes of antibiotics that were discovered in the middle of the 20th century, the penicillins and the cephalosporins. Who discovered them and how? I promise you that the story is more fascinating than you are imagining, so pull up a seat and have a listen!

Script by Vittorio Farina

Check out "Is This Wi-Fi Organic?", my book on disarming pseudoscience!

[kerryevans]

I was taught A level biology by Alexander Fleming's granddaughter. Funny thing deathly allergic to penicillin. 🤣

[Maxmaxmax]

This is my absolute favorite topic, the history of antibiotics (and other pharmaceuticals). I don’t know why I find it so interesting but it is so great. Thanks for making these, I love them!

[Valdagast]

I read about a guy who took small doses of several antibiotics each day, "as prophylaxis". Surprise, surprise, he died from a bacterial infection because the bacteria were resistant to everything the doctors threw at them.

[waelfadlallah]

I was waitinig for the part 2 of this series for a long time finally it came out thank you prof Dave

[PaddyMcMe]

It always amazes me how technological advances are so often linked to war.

[ominous-omnipresent-they]

Man, that Giuseppe Brotzu guy was extremely dedicated.

[angelfingers]

Fascinating! Thank you!
Right on PDave!

[rishabhshuklabeatsproducti]

Me being pharmacist ...revising drugs structure when they appear on screen😅....omg you covered almost every topic ....excluding Betalactamase inhibitors and drug used in resistance (excludin vancomycin Resistance stephyllococus aureus)

[whatabouttheearth]

Brotzu was hella dedicated.

Cefaclor is the only thing I'm allergic to (or so I've been told since childhood), it's a second generation cephalosporin.

[Alexander_Kale]

Thank you, Professor, for the very informative video. Personally, I had never made the connection of fungi producing Penicillin to defend themselves against Bacteria.
Though it seems to beg the question, if said bacteria CAN become immune against such chemicals, and over very short periods of time - then why have they not done so long ago, and annihilated the Fungi? Presumably, the latter would take even longer to develop more potent replacement drugs than we do?

[ccburro]

Hero’s (chemists and microbiologists)! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[ryam]

Brotzu's drive for research in the face of such obstacles has reminded me of Ayn Rand's immoral lines: "An inventor is a man who asks 'Why? ' of the universe and lets nothing stand between the answer and his mind."

[lisaboban]

There's so much we take for granted in the modern world.

[Jimifan]

Maybe in the future you can look at the dangers presented by some antibiotics. I live in China, and after getting a nasty sinus infection I was prescribed levofloxacin. As a result I got "floxed, " a condition that results from an adverse reaction to antibiotics. In my case, floxing attacked the tendons and ligaments in my ankles, and it's brutally painful. I led a pretty active lifestyle before, playing basketball every day, but I haven't been able to play ball for two years now, and it sucks.

[indhravathichintapalli]

I like your lectures very much sir thank you

[nemock]

Your debunking videos are fantastic. Your basic education videos are also great but I really look forward to your debunks because you do not pull any punches.

[mjjoe]

I had no idea this topic would be so interesting.

[fajile]

Sounds like the four member ring is its weakness.
Also you show cephalosporin c 2 times and it looks different both times which one is the cephalosporin?

[kwgm]

Dave, where did you get that theme song? It sounds like an old radio ad, for Cosco Convertible! Are they still around?

Nice history program. I studied these a while back -- like 50 years ago -- and have forgotten many of these stories. Thank you!
Keflex and generics is still an excellent wide-spectrum antibiotic, when used properly.

[ccburro]

It sucks that Professor Brutzu received zero funds from Abraham’s cephalosporin patent. However, per Wikipedia, Abraham is reported to have poured the majority of this money into establishing funding for continued biomedical research.