Methicillin

Methicillin is an antibiotic developed in the 1950s to treat bacterial infections caused by staphylococci, particularly those resistant to earlier antibiotics. It works by interfering with the bacteria's cell wall synthesis, leading to their destruction. However, over time, some bacteria evolved resistance to methicillin, resulting in strains known as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat and require alternative antibiotics. Methicillin itself is no longer commonly used clinically but played a significant role in the development of antibiotics and our understanding of bacterial resistance.