ANTIBIOTICS OF ACTINOMYCETES 187 



and Berger, J., Arch Biochem., 23, 1949, 503-505; Palgliesh, C. E., 

 Johnson, A. W., Todd, A. R., and Vining, L. C, J. Chem. Soc, 1950, 

 2946-2952; 1952, 2672-2679 ; Linge, H., Thesis, Gottingen, 1951 ; Brock- 

 mann,H., Bohnsack, G., andGrone,H., Naturwiss., 40, 1953, 223-224. 



Actinomycin C(Ci C 2 , C 3 ) 



Produced by: Streptomyces chrysomallus. 



Method of extraction: Extraction of dry mycelium with benzene. Extraction 

 of culture filtrate with butyl acetate and concentration in vacuo. 

 Butyl acetate residue dissolved in the benzene mycelium extract and 

 chromatographed over aluminum oxide. Elution with ethyl acetate 

 and upon addition of carbon disulfide actinomycin C crystallized. 



Chemical and physical properties: Red substance. Very soluble in benzene, 

 chloroform, and acetone. Soluble in alcohol. Slightly soluble in water. 

 m.p. 252-254°C with decomposition. Composed of a polypeptide con- 

 taining threonine, proline, valine, N-methyl valine, sarcosine, and d-allo- 

 isoleucine and a quinonic chromophore. By counter current distribu- 

 tion, actinomycin C has been shown to be not a single chemical entity. 

 It is formed of three components, actinomycin Ci which does not 

 contain allo-isoleucine, and actinomycin C2 and C3, which contain 

 this amino acid. Actinomycin C 3 does not contain valine. Tentative 

 formula: C6o-62H 8 3-89NnOi6-i7. 



Biological activity: Active largely against gram-positive bacteria; limited 

 activity against gram-negative organisms. Possesses a cytostatic ac- 

 tion upon malignant tumors, especially of the lymphatic system. 



Toxicity: Mice die within 24 hours after given 50 mg/kg orally or 5 mg/kg 

 intraperitoneally. 



Utilization: Potential use in treatment of Hodgkin's disease. 



Reference: Brockmann, H., Grabhofter, N., Naturwiss., 36, 1949, 376-377; 

 37, 1950, 494-496; Chem. Ber., 84, 1951, 260-284; Naturwiss., 39, 

 1952, 429-430; Hackman, C, Strahlentherapie, 90, 1953, 296-300. 



Actinomycin Ji 



Produced by: Streptomyces flavus. 



Synonym: Actinoflavin. Closely related to, if not identical with, actino- 

 mycin. 



Method of extraction: Adsorption on clay, elution with acetone, concentra- 

 tion of acetone, crystallization from ether. 



Chemical and physical properties: Very similar to actinomycin. 



Biological activity: Same as actinomycin. 



Toxicity: High. 



Utilization: None. 



