STREPTOMYCIN 149 



Penicillin is now issued conunercially in ciystalline form, but methods for its 

 synthesis have not been worked out, one of the greatest difficulties being the four- 

 membered ring which Penicillmm notatum achieves so easily. The polarographic 

 behaviour of penicillin derivatives is described in the chapter on Polarography, and 

 the chemical work carried out is described in a compilation by Clarke, Johnson and 

 Robinson (1949). 



STREPTOMYCIN 



The \drtue of streptomycin, produced by an actinomycete Streptomyces griseus 

 (Schatz, Bugie and Waksman, 1944) lies in its activity against the tubercle bacilli 

 and against Gram-negative enterococci in urinary infections, etc. Tuberculosis has 

 remained one of the worst scourges of man whilst one infectious disease after another 

 has come under control by the use of drugs, immunisation, pubHc health measures, 

 etc. The exact value of streptomycin in the treatment of tuberculosis is still under 

 investigation. In the case of tuberculous meningitis it has undoubtedly saved many 

 lives. Although production has now reached adequate commercial proportions, both 

 in the United States and the United Kingdom, clinical trials are still in progress, and 

 treatment with a combination of both streptomycin and p-aminosalicyHc acid is under 

 trial as this is being written. In passing it may be remarked that p-aminosalicylic 

 acid is a structural analogue of p-aminobenzoate. Promizole (4 : 2i-diaminophenyl- 

 5i-thiazolylsulphone) has been used as an adjutant to streptomycin in the treatment 

 of mihary tuberculosis and meningitis (Lincoln and Kirmse, 1949). There are at 

 least two streptomycins ; one has the following structure : — 



NH 



C'NH2 \ / 



CH3 



(oh)cho 



I Streptonose 



H.CH. 



N Meth yl- 

 NH-ONH2 CHpH I- glucosamine , 



NH 



Stre ptidin e 



Streptomycin 



Of these three main components of the structure, streptodine is a diguanido 

 derivative of tetrahydroxycyclohexane and the presence of the two basic groups may 

 be of some interest. The pentose, streptonose, contains a free aldehyde group, but 

 streptomycin B, which is less active, contains maltose instead of streptonose. The 

 remaining portion of the molecule is N-methyl-1-glucosamine. 



The rapidity of the bactericidal activity of streptomycin is reported by Garrod 

 (1948). 



