Biochem/physiol Actions

Mode of Action: Inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis.
Antimicrobial spectrum: Gram-positive bacteria.

Penicillin G is active against gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Penicillin G inhibits cell wall synthesis by binding to penicillin binding proteins (PBPs), which inhibits peptidoglycan chain cross-linking. Penicillin G is stable against hydrolysis by β-lactamases, such as penicillinases and cephalosporinases.

Application

Penicillin G is narrow spectrum antibiotic. It is the drug of choice for Streptococcus pneumoniae, groups A, B, C and G streptococci, nonenterococcal group D streptococci, viridans group streptococci, and non-penicillinase producing staphylococcus. Penicillin G sodium salt is used to study the diagnostic and therapeutic implications of gentamicin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis sequence type 6 with reduced penicillin susceptibility ¹. It is used in cell culture alone as well as in combination with streptomcyin and other antibiotics².

1. P Giesbrecht, T Kersten, et al., Fan-shaped ejections of regularly arranged murosomes involved in penicillin-induced death of Staphylococci. J. Bacteriol. 174, 2241-2252, (1992)

2. P Salanitro, P A Muirhead, et al., Morphological and physiological characteristics of Gemmiger formicilis isolated from chicken ceca. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 32, 623-632, (1976)

Martin, H.H. and Gmeiner, J., Modification of peptidoglycan structure by penicillin action in cell walls of Proteus mirabilis. Eur. J. Biochem. 95, 487, (1979)

Merck 14,7094

Beil. 27,IV,5861