404 



DESCRIPTIONS OF ANTIBIOTICS 



and gram-negative bacteria, including Clostridia 

 (2) and mycobacteria. Limited activity against 

 Pr. vulgaris. Inactive against Ps. aeruginosa. 

 Limited activity against certain fungi, such as C. 

 albicans. Active against D. pneumoniae , Sal. enter- 

 itidis, and ornithosis virus in mice. 



Toxicity: Administration of 0.(i mg intraperi- 

 toneally, LO mg subcutaneously, 0.5 mg intra- 

 venously, or 5 mg orally does not produce any 

 toxic symptoms in 13-gm mice. Larger doses pro- 

 duce delayed toxicity. 



References: 



1. Aiso, K. et al. J. Anti))iotics (Japan) 8A: 



33-38, 1955. 



2. Morita, Y. J. Antibiotics (Japan) 9A: 226, 



1956. 



Violarin 



Produced by: Streptouiyces (Actinotiiyces) viola- 

 ceus strains (1, 2). 



Synonyms: Violarine I, Violarine 452-7. Similar 

 to antivirubin. 



Method of extraction: Broth extracted with chlo- 

 roform at pH 6.9 to 7.5. Chloroform concentrated 

 in vacuo to a thick syrup. Precipitates on addition 

 of petroleum ether (l).p. 40-60°C). Purified l)y ex- 

 traction with ether in a Soxhlet apparatus. Re- 

 precipitated from benzene with petroleum ether 

 (3). 



Chemical and physical properties: Complex, con- 

 taining several closely related substances. Bright 

 red, amorphous substance with indicator proper- 

 ties. Decomposes above .130°C. Very soluble in 

 benzene, dimethylformamide, formamide, chloro- 

 form, and hydrochloric, sulfuric, and acetic acids. 

 Fairly soluble in ethanol and methanol; slightly 

 soluble in carbon tetrachloride; insoluble in wa- 

 ter and petroleum ether. Ultraviolet absorption 

 spectrum maxima at 498 and 532 niyu (in n-butanol) . 

 C22-24H32-34O8-9 . Molecular weight, 419 to 445 (3). 



Biological activity: Active in vitro against bac- 

 teria and vaccinia virus, and in vivo against influ- 

 enza, vaccinia, tick encephalitis, and silkworm 

 jaundice viruses (1, 3). 



References: 



1. Krassilnikov, N. A. et al . Antibiotiki 3(3): 



18-22, 1958. 



2. Solovieva, N. K. and Sorokina, E. I. Anti- 



biotiki 3(4): 19-23, 1958. 



3. Trachtenberg, D. M. et al. Abstr. Communs. 



Symposium on Antibiotics, Prague 194- 

 196, 1959. 



Vioniycin 



Produced by: Streptomyces puniceus (1), S. flori- 

 dae (2), aS. vinaceus (14) (This culture produced a 



purple substance very active on staphylococci 

 and moderately active on mycobacteria), S. cali- 

 fornicus (11), S. abikoensum (24), S. olivoreticuli 

 (23), and *S. griseus var. purpureus. The name 

 viomycin was proposed for the first three pro- 

 ducers listed here, and for other similar viomycin- 

 forming organisms (20, 22). 



Synonyms: Vinactin, vinactane (16), viocin, 

 vionactia. Related to phthiomycin. 



Method of extraction: I. Filtered broth adsorbed 

 on IRC-50 (equilibrated at pH 7.5 with NaOH) 

 at pH 7.5 and eluted with 0.35 .Y H2SO4 . Eluate 

 neutralized with Ba(0H)2 and the precipitated 

 BaS04 filtered off. Filtrate adsorbed on XE-89 

 (equilibrated as above) at pH 7.5, and eluted and 

 neutralized as above. Eluate decolorized with car- 

 bon. Addition of naethanol crystallizes out vio- 

 mycin sulfate (25). II. Adsorbed from broth on 

 activated carbon. Eluted with dimethylcarbonate- 

 methanol (3:7). Addition of diethyl ether gives 

 crude precipitate. Also eluted from carbon with 

 0.1 N HCl in anhydrous methanol and precipi- 

 tated on addition of petroleum ether. Purification 

 Ijy chromatography on alumina with 80 per cent 

 methanol as solvent and developer. Active eluate 

 freeze dried. Crystallized from warm absolute 

 methanol (14). 



Chemical and physical properties: Complex, 

 containing two or three components which are 

 strongly basic, possibly cyclic, polypeptides (10, 

 16). Mayer et al. (9) described the vinactin complex 

 as containing three components. A, B and C. 

 Viomycin is largely vinactin A (18), but there are 

 no published reports confirming the presence of 

 components identical to vinactins B and C in the 

 broths of the viomycin-producers. Viomycin base: 

 C17.18H31.3.5N9O8 . Sulfate: Crystals; m.p. 280°C 

 (decomposition) (hydrated form) (1) or 252°C 

 (decomposition) (anhydrous) (2). Very soluble in 

 water. Virtually insoluble in most common or- 

 ganic solvents (1). Ultraviolet absorption spec- 

 trum maximum at 268 m^ (EI'!^ 339) (0.1 N HCl) 

 or at 280 to 282.5 m^ {Elfm 219) (0.1 A' NaOH) 

 (2, 23). Infrared spectrum given in references 14 

 and 23. [at^ = -32° (c = 1 per cent in water) (1). 

 Rotation varies with the pH of the solution (2). 

 Positive Sakaguchi, Fehling (1), ninhydrin, and 

 biuret tests (2). Negative Molisch, maltol, and 

 Benedict tests (2, 8). Paper chromatography: Rf = 

 0.02 (80 per cent phenol) and 0.45 (n-butanol-gla- 

 cial acetic acid-water, 4:2:1) (23). In aqueous solu- 

 tion (pH 5 to 6), has a half -life of 12 hours. Less 

 stable at more acidic or basic pH (1). C = 37.19%; 

 H = 5.86%; N = 20.61%; SO4 = 17.63% (1); N = 

 2.7%o (Van Slyke) (1) or 4.51% (after 2 hours) (2). 

 Hydrochloride: Crystals; m.p. 248°C (decomposi- 



