DEHCRIPTIOXS OF ANTIBIOTICS 



365 



Method of extraction: Mj'celiuin extracted with 

 acetone; evaporated in vacuo. Residual aqueous 

 solution extracted with butanol; evaporated to 

 dryness in vacuo. Extraction with methanol; slow 

 evaporation in vacuo. 



Chemical and physical properties: Almost color- 

 less crystalline powder. Sakaguchi and ninhydrin 

 tests positive; biuret test negative. Soluble in 

 methanol; sparingly soluble in ethanol and water. 

 Ultraviolet maximum at 304 niju in ethanol. 



Biological activity: Active against yeasts and 

 Hlamentous fungi, S. griseus, and Nocardia aster- 

 oides. At higher concentrations, active on Staph, 

 aureus, Sarcina lutea, and several Bacillus species. 



To.ricity: LD.mi (mice) 200 mg per kg intraperi- 

 toneally. 



Reference: 1. Nakamura, S. et al. J. Antilnotics 

 (Japan) 7A : 57-59, 1954. 



Sistoniycosiii 



Produced by: Streptomyces viridosporus (1). 



Method of extraction: Broth-filtrate extracted 

 with n-butanol. Extracts concentrated almost to 

 dryness in the dark in vacuo at <45°C. Residue 

 washed with chloroform, then extracted with wa- 

 ter. Water-extract freeze dried to give sistomyco- 

 sin. Water-insoluble residue extracted with chloro- 

 form containing 10 per cent methanol. Extract 

 chromatographed on Florisil or Decalso and de- 

 veloped with chloroform containing increasing 

 amounts of methanol. Eluted with methanol. 

 Methanol evaporated to dryness in vacuo. Residue 

 extracted with water. Freeze dried. 



Chemical and physical properties: Neutral tetra- 

 ene. Microcrystalline, buff to light yellow sub- 

 stance. Browns at 130°C but does not melt below 

 about 230°C. Very soluble in water and methanol. 

 Moderately soluble in "moist" acetone containing 

 not more than 5 per cent water, and aqueous mix- 

 tures of aliphatic alcohols containing more than 

 one carbon atom. Practically insoluble in nonpolar 

 solvents. Positive KMn04 , Benedict (boiling), 

 and Molisch tests. Negative Beilstein (for halo- 

 gen) and FeCla tests. Gives a deep cherry-red to 

 chocolate color in H2SO4 . No color in warm con- 

 centrated HNO3 or HCl saturated with thymol. 

 Ultraviolet absorption spectrum maxima (water) 

 at 218, 292.5, 306, and 320 m^- Infrared spectrum 

 given in reference 1. Photo-labile. Most stable at 

 pH 7 to 9. Moderately stable to heat. Contains C, 

 H, O, and N. 



Biological activity: Active on yeasts and fila- 

 mentous fungi. Not active on Cryptococcus neo- 

 formans, bacteria, or actinomycetes (1). 



Toxicity: LD50 (mice) 90 mg per kg intrave- 

 nously (1). 



Reference: 1. British Patent 712,547, July 28, 

 1954. 



Speciomycin 



Produced by: Streptomyces sp. (1). 



Synonym: Antibiotic 190/1. 



Method of extraction: Adsorbed from broth on 

 activated carbon. Eluted with acidic methanol. 

 Extract concentrated and acetone added to give 

 a precipitate. Taken up in methanol, and solvent 

 removed in vacuo (2). 



Chemical and physical properties: Light brown, 

 odorless, amorphous powder. Soluble in water and 

 lower alcohols. Insoluble in higher alcohols, ace- 

 tone, and chloroform. Ultraviolet absorption spec- 

 trum maximum at 273 m^i (c = 1 per cent in water) 

 or 270 m/i (c = 1 per cent in 0.1 A^ HCl) . No charac- 

 teristic peak in NaOH. Most stable at acid or 

 neutral pH; unstable at acid i^H (2). 



Biological activity: Active on gram-jjositive bac- 

 teria; very slightly active on gram-negative bac- 

 teria. Inactive on mj'cobactei'ia and fungi (1). 



References: 



1. Paszkiewicz, A. Med. Doswiadczalna i Mik- 



robiol. 9: 451-462, 1957. 



2. Sobiezewski, W. and Paszkiewicz, A. Med. 



Doswiadczalna i Mikrobiol. 10: 141-152, 

 1958. 



Spi. 



aiiivcms 



Produced by: Streptomyces a)ubofaciens (1, 12) 

 (also produces netrojjsin (congocidin)) ; Strepto- 

 myces sp. resembling S. ambofaciens (13). 



Synonyms: Foromacidins (13, 16), seciuamycin 

 (12), antibiotic R. P. 5337, rovamycin, prcjva- 

 mycin, selectomycin. 



Remarks: A fourth component, L), not present 

 in the spiramycin broths, was reported in the 

 broths of the foromacidin-producer. This is de- 

 scribed below. 



Method of extraction.: I. Broth-Hit rate at pH 

 9.0 extracted with methyl ethyl ketone, or methyl 

 isobutyl ketone, chloroform, butanol, benzene, or 

 ethyl acetate. Back-extracted into water at pH 

 2 to 3. Aqueous extract concentrated at pH 6.5 and 

 extracted with chloroform or benzene at pH 9.0. 

 Extract concentrated in vacuo, n-butanol added, 

 and pH adjusted to 5. Concentrated again and 

 ether added to precipitate crude spiramycin (4, 

 12). II. Broth-filtrate extracted with ethyl ace- 

 tate at pH 8.5. Extract concentrated, then back- 

 extracted into 0.5 N aqueous acetic acid. Re-ex- 

 tracted into ethyl acetate at alkaline pH, and 

 extract evaporated to dryness in vacuo. Purified 

 by countercurrent distribution (chloroform- 0.2 N 



