156 L. J. MULLINS 



good bit of soap effect, as I would call it, which just disintegrates or disturbs 

 the membrane in some way. I would prefer not to start with these lower alco- 

 hols which have confusing kinds of effects. 



Dr. Grenell: If you apply such a polarization to repolarize an already 

 depolarized structure, would this bring something out into the membrane 

 from inside and consequently this is why the function has been restored to the 

 situation? If you do not other than just repolarize it? 



Dr. Mullins: I would think you would take something away rather than 

 bring something out, but that is only a guess, I have no thought about it. 



Dr. Robert Burton (National Institutes of Health): I have a couple of 

 questions, one for Dr. Mullins and one for Dr. Folch-Pi. 



The one for Dr. Mullins is whether or not any of the inositols produce a 

 similar effect to the hexachlorocyclohexane derivatives, either stimulatory or 

 narcotic, and whether or not they, perhaps, could inhibit the effect of these 

 chlorine derivatives? 



The question to Dr. Folch-Pi is whether or not the hexachlorocyclohexane 

 derivatives inhibit the metabolism of inositol at all? 



Dr. Mullins: The suggestion was first made when the structure of the 

 gamma isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane was imperfectly understood. It was 

 the same as, I think, what is called "meso" inositol and that therefore the 

 possibility of competitive inhibition might exist. Indeed, it seems that you can 

 demonstrate such an effect in bacteria between the S-isomer and meso-inositol; 

 these are structurally equivalent (Barnes and Sogar, J. Gen. Microbiol. 10: 

 475, 1954). But I do not believe that anyone seriously considers inositol to act 

 in this manner for the simple reason that the substances are so enormously 

 different in their general chemical constitution; one is a totally hydroxylated 

 compound and the other is a totally chlorinated compound, and one would 

 be much happier in the membrane than another, I am quite sure. Furthermore, 

 it has never been possible to show that there is any even slight metabolic re- 

 quirement for inositol, a nutritional requirement for inositol, or, therefore, 

 any method whereby if you deprive insects, or even frogs, of inositol that they 

 will become unhappy. So that this sort of an assumption seems to me ill- 

 founded. 



Dr. Folch-Pi: I understand that cyclohexane has been used as an inositol 

 anti-metaboloid. I think it was one of those wild ideas. I don't know what 

 evidence there was for it and I think it was abandoned. On the other hand, I 

 do think that there is evidence purporting to show that inositol is a vitamin- 

 like substance of mammals. I think Wolley showed that it was necessary as a 

 dietary factor in mice or rats. It is a good thing to think about. 



On the other hand, I think I agree with Dr. Mullins; I wouldn't think that 

 that would have much bearing on this particular example, i.e., on hexachloro- 

 cyclohexane. 



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