Starting from iron smelting

Chapter 73 Penicillin

Lu Xiuyuan brought the herbs back to his residence and began the process of making medicine. With the help of some simple tools, such as a mortar and a medicine decoction furnace, he ground the herbs into powder, mixed and stirred them, added an appropriate amount of water, and then boiled and filtered them, and finally obtained some basic liquid medicine.

However, these drugs were just preliminary attempts, and he knew that more practice and experience were needed to improve the quality and effect of the drugs. Therefore, he decided to continue to experiment and adjust to continuously improve his pharmaceutical technology.

In the following days, Lu Xiuyuan devoted himself to making medicine. He kept trying different formulas and proportions, and constantly adjusted the decoction time and temperature, striving to maximize the effect of the medicine.

After unremitting efforts, Lu Xiuyuan finally succeeded in producing some high-quality medicines. These medicines can not only quickly heal wounds and restore physical strength, but also improve the physical fitness of practitioners and enhance resistance.

Lu Xiuyuan decided to re-examine his skills in making pills, realizing that he needed to improve his production level to obtain better pills. He began to study more advanced prescriptions and formulas, and consulted various ancient books and materials to find ways to improve his medicine making skills.

In addition to practicing, Lu Xiuyuan spent a lot of time learning the art of alchemy. He constantly tried different combinations of medicinal materials and refining methods, constantly adjusting the formula to seek better results. Every failure was a valuable experience that made him more familiar with the characteristics of medicinal materials and refining techniques.

Lu Xiuyuan recalled the miraculous effects of penicillin in his mind. In his memory, penicillin is a very effective antibiotic that can treat various bacterial infections. Although there may be no such term as penicillin in this world, Lu Xiuyuan believes that if he can find a similar drug, it will be a great help to his cultivation journey.

However, it is not easy to find a drug similar to penicillin. In this world, the resources of medicinal materials may not be abundant, and Lu Xiuyuan does not know how to extract and make antibiotics. However, he is not discouraged, because Lu Xiuyuan knows that as long as he is determined, he will find a solution to the problem.

The mechanism of action of penicillin is:

1. It can inhibit the synthesis of cell walls. Bacteria have cell walls, which are very tough. Penicillin can act on the cell walls, making it impossible for bacteria to synthesize cell walls normally, thus causing defects in the bacterial cell walls, thus achieving the effect of sterilization.

2. Affect the permeability of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. The use of penicillin can increase the permeability of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, causing the sugar, salt and protein inside the bacteria to leak out, eventually leading to the death of the bacteria.

3. It can inhibit protein synthesis. Bacteria are prokaryotic cells, while mammals are eukaryotic cells. The effect of penicillin is that it has a high degree of selective toxicity against the nucleoprotein of bacteria. In other words, penicillin can act on the nucleoprotein inside bacteria, but will not react to the ribosomes in the mammalian body, thus achieving the effect of selectively killing bacteria.

4. It can inhibit nucleic acid metabolism. Nucleic acid metabolism is an important step in the synthesis of genetic material. The use of penicillin can disrupt the nucleic acid metabolism of bacteria and stop the continuous division and reproduction of bacteria, thereby achieving the effect of inhibiting pathogens.

How to make penicillin, Lu Xiuyuan tried hard to recall the knowledge in his mind:

The preparation of penicillin is a complex process that usually requires suitable laboratory conditions. Penicillin is an antibiotic that can be produced by culturing the mold Penicillium. The following is a brief overview of the general preparation method of penicillin:

1. Select a suitable Penicillium strain: Penicillium is a fungus. Common strains for preparing penicillin include Penicillium of the genus Penicillium, such as Penicillin fungi.

2. Cultivate Penicillium: Cultivate the selected Penicillium strain on an appropriate culture medium, provide sufficient nutrients and suitable environmental conditions, including appropriate temperature, humidity and oxygen content.

3. Fermentation: Penicillium undergoes a fermentation process in a culture medium to produce penicillin. Fermentation conditions need to be precisely controlled to ensure the yield and quality of penicillin.

4. Extraction of penicillin: After penicillin is produced, it needs to be extracted from the culture medium. Usually chemical methods are used, such as dissolution, extraction or separation.

5. Purification: The extracted penicillin needs to be purified to remove impurities to ensure the purity and quality of the final product.

6. Preparation and storage: Purified penicillin can be made into pharmaceutical preparations, such as injections, oral tablets, etc., and then packaged and stored. The stability and effectiveness of the drug must be ensured for long-term storage and use.

There is no lack of theoretical knowledge, so now we will start to make penicillin manually, making a traditional penicillin.

Lu Xiuyuan hurried through the kitchen, scanning every corner, looking for moldy food. He opened the storage box and checked the food inside until he found a steamed bun with green mold on it. He quickly took it out, holding the bun expectantly, as if holding a treasure, and walked quickly to the prepared culture medium.

In the corner of the kitchen, Lu Xiuyuan prepared a large jar of culture medium. He chopped the rice with a sharp knife, put it into the blender, and blended it into a fine rice paste. Then, he took the flour, poured it into the pot, added water, and stirred it while waiting for the flour to become a thick batter. When the batter gave off a fragrant smell, he knew the culture medium was ready.

Lu Xiuyuan carefully observed the steamed buns after placing them in the culture medium. He watched the green mold slowly grow in the liquid, as if a mysterious picture was unfolding before his eyes. He gently shook the container to ensure that the culture medium evenly covered the buns, and then waited quietly, looking forward to the birth of penicillin.

During the seven days when the culture medium was still, Lu Xiuyuan was not idle. He began to make activated charcoal, which is an essential material for extracting penicillin. He put hardwood and fruit shells into a metal container and lit a flame. The blazing flame burned in the container, making crackling sounds and accompanied by thick smoke. He stared at the flame intently, waiting for the wood to turn into black charcoal.

When the charcoal becomes hard and has a metallic sheen on the surface, Lu puts out the fire and lets the charcoal cool slowly. After the charcoal cools, he takes it out and rinses it with clean water to remove the dust and impurities on the surface. Then, he grinds the charcoal into powder with a grinding wheel, and the powder floats in the air like a black mist.

Next, it was the penicillin extraction process. Lu Xiuyuan poured the culture solution into a deeper container and carefully observed the changes in the liquid. He saw that the liquid was divided into three layers. The top two layers were vegetable oil, and the bottom layer was a watery substance containing penicillin. He carefully poured out the top two layers of liquid, leaving only the watery substance at the bottom.

Lu Xiuyuan added the carbon powder to the water and began to stir it until the water was completely absorbed. He washed the carbon powder with distilled water, then added alkaline water and filtered it through a funnel. Finally, he poured the liquid in the funnel into the acidic water, and the penicillin solution slowly dripped down the funnel, like drops of precious pearls, glittering.

Lu Xiuyuan finally succeeded in extracting penicillin. He looked at the bottle of clear liquid with joy, as if he saw endless possibilities. At this moment, he deeply felt the charm of science and his courage and persistence in exploring the unknown.

Lu Xiuyuan will then test the produced penicillin to see if it is really effective.

Lu Xiuyuan dropped the penicillin solution into a pre-prepared staphylococcus culture dish, covered it with a lid and waited for a few days. If a circle appeared around the solution, it meant that the penicillin extraction was successful. If there was no change, then try again.

Lu Xiuyuan carefully injected the finished penicillin into his arm and waited for the results of the skin test. He was nervous and excited because the successful production of penicillin would have a significant impact on the medical level of the entire cultivation world.

After a while, he noticed some red spots and slight swelling near the injection site, which was a normal reaction to the skin test. Lu Xiuyuan breathed a sigh of relief, and was convinced that his experiment had been successful.

"It seems that the production of penicillin is successful." Liu Meng asked with concern, and he also stared at Lu Xiuyuan's arm.

Lu Xiuyuan smiled and nodded, "Yes, the result of the skin test shows that I succeeded! Now I can enter Beiya Cave with this guarantee and complete my own trial."

Lu Xiuyuan felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. He knew that this was not only his personal victory, but also the welfare of the entire cultivation world. He was determined to share the production method of penicillin with more people so that more people could benefit from it.

Lu Xiuyuan successfully produced penicillin in his experiment. He successfully synthesized penicillin through simple chemical methods using some common raw materials and utensils. This drug is very important for his needs, because in this world, the scarcity of medicines is a common problem, and penicillin can help him deal with various injuries and improve his survival ability.

In the last half month before Beiya Cave opened, Lu Xiuyuan devoted himself to cultivation, adjusting his cultivation and strengthening his will. He chose to practice in seclusion, isolated from the outside world, and focused on improving his strength and willpower.

Every day, Lu Xiuyuan practiced diligently in the practice room, circulating the spiritual energy in his body, and constantly strengthening his body and mind. He constantly practiced the skills, exercised his body, and improved his cultivation to cope with the upcoming test.

In addition to cultivation, Lu Xiuyuan also constantly adjusted his mentality and willpower. He was clearly aware that he would face many difficulties and challenges in Beiya Cave, and strong willpower would be the key to his victory over all difficulties. Therefore, he constantly strengthened his willpower through meditation and thinking, so that he could remain calm and firm when facing difficulties.

As time went by, Lu Xiuyuan's cultivation level continued to improve, and his willpower became stronger. He knew that only when his cultivation level and willpower reached their peak could he achieve greater success in the test of Beiya Cave.

On the eve of the opening of Beiya Cave, Lu Xiuyuan decided to say goodbye to Liu Meng, Senior Sister Qingying and Master Xuanjizi one by one. They gathered together in a solemn and serious atmosphere, and everyone knew that tomorrow morning would be the time for them to part.

First, Lu Xiuyuan walked up to Liu Meng and held his hand tightly. "Brother, tomorrow we will each embark on our own path of cultivation." He said, "No matter what happens in the future, we will always be best friends."

Liu Meng held Lu Xiuyuan's hand, his eyes flashing with gratitude and blessings. "Lu Xiuyuan, you have to be careful and take care of yourself." He said deeply, "I believe you will achieve something, and we will see each other again."

Then, Lu Xiuyuan turned to Senior Sister Qingying. "Senior Sister Qingying, you have been taking care of me like a sister and a mother for many years." He said gratefully, "I will always remember your care and teachings."

Senior Sister Qingying patted Lu Xiuyuan's shoulder gently. "Lu Xiuyuan, you are an outstanding disciple. I believe you will be able to achieve greater success." She smiled and said, "I wish you all the best."

Finally, Lu Xiuyuan turned to his master Xuanjizi. "Master, thank you for your teaching and guidance over the years." He bowed respectfully, "I will work hard to practice and live up to your expectations."

Xuanjizi's eyes flashed with complex light. He looked at Lu Xiuyuan deeply and said, "Lu Xiuyuan, you are the pride of my Juling Sect, and also my pride." He said slowly, "Go, and pursue your own path."

At the moment of farewell, everyone has reluctance and blessings in their hearts. Tomorrow morning, Lu Xiuyuan will embark on the journey to Beiya Cave to find his own opportunity.

The night passed quickly, and the first ray of sunlight in the morning poured into the room through the window, and Lu Xiuyuan was awakened early by the morning light. He got up, packed his equipment, and was excited and expectant, ready to meet the upcoming challenge.

Suddenly, there was a gentle knock on the door, and Lu Xiuyuan knew that someone was coming to pick him up. He opened the door and saw a young disciple in green standing outside with a smile on his face.

"Junior Brother Lu, let's set off now." The young disciple said, "The North Cliff Cave has been opened, we have to hurry over."

Lu Xiuyuan nodded and left the room with the young disciple. On the way, he felt the fresh air in the morning, his heart full of anticipation and excitement.

Soon, they arrived at the opening site of the North Cliff Cave. Many monks had gathered here, and everyone had a solemn look on their faces, ready to face the upcoming test.

At the opening scene of Beiya Cave, there were crowds of people, and the atmosphere was tense and exciting. The disciples of Juling Sect lined up neatly, and everyone looked solemn and dignified. In the crowd, Lu Xiuyuan looked a little short, but his eyes were unusually firm, revealing a strong will.