A scientist discovers that a soil bacterium he has been studying produces an antimic robial that kills gramnegative bacteria. She isolates and purifies the anti microbial compound, then chemically converts a chemical side chain to a hydroxyl group. When she tests the anti microbial properties of this new version, she finds that this antimicrobial drug can now also kill gram-positive bacteria. Thenew anti microbial drug with broad-spectru mactivity is considere dto be which of the following? a. resistantb. semisyntheticc. syntheticd. natural

The correct answer will be option-B (Semi-synthetic)

Explanation:

Chemical drugs can be synthesized through many ways on the basis of which they can be categorized:

1. Natural Drug: The drug prepared from the natural extracts.

2. Synthetic Drug: The drug is synthesized by chemical reactions.

3. Semi-synthetic Drug: The drug which is neither completely natural nor synthetic that is they are prepared from the natural extracts by modifying them.

Since in the given question, the drug was prepared by the converting side chain to the hydroxyl group of the antimicrobial drug therefore it is considered as the semi-synthetic drug and Option-B is the correct answer.