A common antibiotic in the penicillin family used to treat bacterial infections like ear infections, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia.
From 'amphi-' (both) + 'penicillin.' Named because it was one of the first penicillin antibiotics effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, discovered in 1961.
Ampicillin was revolutionary because while regular penicillin only worked against certain types of bacteria, ampicillin's broader range meant doctors could treat more infections without knowing the exact bacteria involved—a game-changer for emergency medicine.
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