DESCRIPTIONS OF ANTIBIOTICS 



175 



Chemical (ind phj/sicnl properties: Contains six 

 components, three of which were not separated. 

 Amino acid content of Zn , Zi, and Z5 is shown in 

 Table 39. Z,,: Amorphous orange-brown powder. 

 Decomposes with darkening at about 250°C. 

 Ultraviolet absorption spectrum maxima at 236 

 and 437 mfx (log E\^n = 2.17 or 2.44). Z, : Orange- 

 red crj^stals; m.p. 25G-260°C (decomposition); 

 [a]D = -362" (c = 0.185 per cent in CHCI3). 

 Ultraviolet absorption spectrum maxima at 240 

 mM (log .elcn, = 2.25), 427 m/x (£1"°,, 2.00), and 

 442 m/x (log E\lm 2.01). Infrared spectrum identi- 

 cal to actinomycin "X mixture." C = 53.97%; 

 H = 6.97%; N = 12.3%; N-CH., = 7.48%. Z, : 

 Short red rods, in clusters; m.p. 261-267°C (de- 

 composition). [a\D = —284° (c = 0.244 per cent 

 in CHCI3). Ultraviolet absorption maxima at 

 240 m/x (log E'Jc'n. 2.40), 428 ni/x (log E\"L = 2.21), 

 and 443 m/x (log E\L = 2.24). C = 55.71% H = 

 6.44%; and N = 12.25% (83). 



ArtinoDii/cin Mixture 1048a 



Produced by: Slreptoinyces sp. (78). 



Method of extraction: Acetone-extract of my- 

 celium evaporated under reduced pressure, and 

 residue taken up in ethyl acetate; precipitated on 

 addition of petroleum ether. Recrystallized from 

 ethyl acetate. Purified by countercurrent distri- 

 bution (aqueous 1.7 per cent Na /3-naphthalene- 

 sulfonate and methyl butyl ether), and chromato- 

 graphy on alumina with acetone as eluent (78). 



Chemical and physical properties: Contains three 

 major components, I, II, and III, and a minor 

 component, IV (author's designations). See 

 Table 39 for the amino acid content of I, II, and 

 III. /: m.p. 240-244 °C (decomposition). Ultraviolet 

 absorption s])ectrum maxima at 238 m/x (Eie'm 

 243) and 440 m/x (E^L 160). // : m.p. 238-240°C 

 (decomposition). Ultraviolet absorption spectrum 

 maxima at 240 m/x (Elcm 281) and 444 m/x (E'lJm 

 191). ///: m.p. 240-242°C (decomposition); ultra- 

 violet absorption spectrum maxima at 240 m/x 

 (.ElL 308) and 440 m/x (^Icm 209). IV: m.p. 

 239-243°C (decomposition) ; ultraviolet absorption 

 spectrum maxima at 240 (EIL 233) and 442 {E 

 l^m 162) (78). 



Biological activity: Order of activity against 

 Staph, aureus and B. subtilis: I = II > III > IV. 

 In antitumor activity (Ehrlich ascites carcinoma), 

 all are equal (78). 



Toxicity: I and II: LD50 (mice) 0.49 mg per kg 

 (no route given). ///: LD50 (mice) 0.89 mg per kg 

 (no route given) (78). 



Actinomycin Mixture 2IO4L 



Produced by: Streptomyces sp. (79). 



Method of extraction: See actinomycin 1048A. 



Chemical and physical properties: Contains two 

 major components, I and II, and two minor ones, 

 III and IV (author's designations, not related to 

 the usual I, II, III, and IV). /: m.p. 237-240°C. 

 Ultraviolet absorption spectrum maxima at 240 

 m/x {E\lr, 296) and 444 m/x (E\1,, 203). [a]" = 

 — 349.2°. Contains threonine, sarcosine, proline, 

 n-methyl valine, and alloisoleucine. II: m.p. 

 230-232°C. Ultraviolet absorption spectrum max- 

 ima at 240 m/x (i^lL 270) and 440 ni/x (E'lL 180). 

 [ale = —284.0°. Contains threonine, sarcosine, 

 proline, valine, N-methyl valine, and alloisoleucine 

 (79). 



Biological activity: Typical of the actinomycins 

 (79). 



Toxicity: Mice tolerate at least 50 /xg per kg for 

 5 days, intraperitoneally (79). 



CATEGORY 2: 



Substances known to be "mixtures," but for 

 which no component data is available 



(1) Actinomycin 4A-2 (51). 



(2) Actinomcyin Mixture — ? (96, 97). 



CATEGORY 3 : 



It is not known whether these substances are 

 single actinomycins or "mixtures" 



Actinomycin 1 



Produced by: Micromonospora sp. resembling 

 M. globosa (15). 



Method of extraction: Broth extracted with ether, 

 and extract concentrated. Addition of petroleum 

 to concentrate gives amorphous powder. Crystal- 

 lization from aqueous ethanol and recrystalliza- 

 tion from same solvent or a benzene-ether mixture 

 (15). 



Chemical and physical properties: m.p. 251-252°C. 

 Ultraviolet absorption maxima at 239 m/x {Eicm 

 272) and 440 m/x {Eu'n, 192). Acid hydrolysis prod- 

 ucts include threonine, proline, valine, N-methyl 

 valine, and sarco.sine. C = 60.06%; H = 6.99%; 

 N = 12.62% (15). 



Biological activity: Active on gram-positive 

 organisms, mycobacteria, but not Sacch. cerevisiae 

 or .1 . niger at 50 /xg per ml (15). 



Actinomycin 2 



Produced by: Streptomyces sp. (7). 

 Method of extraction: Same as for A-type mix- 

 ture (7). 



