The Manual of Clinical Microbiology, 9th edition, identifies penicillin drugs as follows:
Natural Penicillins:
- Benzylpenicillin* (commonly known as penicillin G)
- Benzylpenicilloyl-polylysine (BPP)
- Phenoxymethyl penicillin* (commonly known as penicillin V)
Semi-synthetic Penicillins:
- Methicillin
- Nafcillin
- Cloxacillin*
- Dicloxacillin*
- Ampicillin*
- Amoxicillin*
- Bacampicillin
- Pivampicillin
- Carbenicillin
- Ticarcillin*
- Azlocillin
- Mezlocillin
- Piperacillin
- Hetacillin*
*Penicillins approved for veterinary use.
Please be aware that penicillin trade names may vary by region and country. Manufacturers, including repackers, are responsible for knowing whether their drug is penicillin. FDA’s “Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations” (Orange Book) or Drugs@FDA, both of which are located at FDA’s website, enable
searching by trade name (i.e., proprietary name) and by active ingredient name (i.e., generic or non-proprietary name).
