Read the passage and answer the following questions :

Yeasts, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, have been used for centuries to produce alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, whisky, brandy, and rum. These beverages are made through the fermentation of malted cereals and fruit juices by yeast, specifically brewer's yeast. During fermentation, yeast undergoes metabolic reactions that result in the production of ethanol, the primary alcohol in alcoholic beverages. Different types of alcoholic drinks are obtained based on the raw materials used and the processing methods employed. Wine and beer are produced without distillation, while whisky, brandy, and rum are produced by distilling the fermented mixture. On the other hand, antibiotics, which are chemical substances produced by certain microbes, are considered one of the significant discoveries of the twentieth century. They have greatly contributed to the well-being of human society. Antibiotics are capable of killing or inhibiting the growth of disease-causing microbes, thereby having a positive impact on human health.

Which among the following is the first discovered antibiotic ?

Penicillin

The correct answer is Option (2)-Penicillin

Antibiotics produced by microbes are regarded as one of the most significant discoveries of thetwentieth century and have greatly contributed towards the welfare of the human society. Antibiotics are chemical substances, which are produced by some microbes and can kill or retard the growth of other (disease-causing) microbes. Penicillin was the first antibiotic produced by Penicillium notatum.

Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928. Fleming observed that a certain mold, Penicillium notatum, produced a substance that inhibited the growth of bacteria. This substance, later identified as penicillin, was found to be effective in treating bacterial infections. This antibiotic was extensively used to treat American soldiers wounded in World War II. Fleming, Chain and Florey were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1945, for this discovery.

Ampicillin and Oxacillin are both antibiotics, but they were discovered and developed later than Penicillin.