Question:easy
Colistin is obtained from which of the following?
Colistin is obtained from which of the following?
Show Hint
Colistin is polymyxin E, a polypeptide from a Bacillus species.
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
- Bacteria
- Fungi
- Actinomycetes
- Herbs
Show Solution
The Correct Option is A
Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Sort antibiotics by who makes them in nature. The mould-and-fungus group gives penicillins, cephalosporins and griseofulvin. The soil-dwelling actinomycetes give the big workhorses such as aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, chloramphenicol and macrolides. A smaller third group, true bacteria of the Bacillus genus, manufacture the polypeptide antibiotics.
Step 2: Colistin, known pharmacologically as polymyxin E, belongs to that polypeptide group and is harvested from a Bacillus species. Its source is therefore bacterial, the same origin as polymyxin B, bacitracin and tyrothricin.
Step 3: Ruling out the rest is straightforward: none of the listed drugs is fungal in this question, colistin is not an actinomycete product, and it has no plant origin.
\[\boxed{\text{Bacteria}}\]
Step 2: Colistin, known pharmacologically as polymyxin E, belongs to that polypeptide group and is harvested from a Bacillus species. Its source is therefore bacterial, the same origin as polymyxin B, bacitracin and tyrothricin.
Step 3: Ruling out the rest is straightforward: none of the listed drugs is fungal in this question, colistin is not an actinomycete product, and it has no plant origin.
\[\boxed{\text{Bacteria}}\]
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