ANTIBIOTICS OF ACTINOMYCETES 195 



Chemical and physical properties: Basic substance, heat-stable, whitish 

 yellow powder. 



Biological activity: Very little, if any, activity against gram-positive and 

 gram-negative bacteria. Active against Mycobacterium phlei and to a 

 lesser degree against M. smegmatis, M. tuberculosis (human type), 

 and M. avium. 



Toxicity: Injection of 10-20 mg of the hydrochloride into mice intramus- 

 cularly and intravenously well tolerated. 



Utilization: No data. 



Reference: Ouchi, N., J. Antibiotics (Japan), S, 1950, 517-523. 



Antismegmatis Factor 



Produced by: Streptomyces sp. Resembles S. lavendulae. 



Method of extraction: Concentration by precipitation by cold. 



Chemical and physical properties: Heat-stable at pH 7.0. 



Biological activity: Most active, at an alkaline reaction, against Mycobac- 

 terium smegmatis, M. phlei. No activity against bacteria, fungi, and a 

 pathogenic strain of M. bovis. 



Toxicity: No reliable data available. 



Utilization: None. 



Reference: Kelner, A., and Morton, H. E., Proc. Soc. Exptl. Biol. Med., 

 68, 1946, 227-230. 



Antitumor Factors 



It has been definitely established that actinomycetes produce various 

 substances which are active against neoplastic cells. Their exact nature is 

 still unknown. It is not even known whether they should be considered as 

 antibiotics in a true sense. They are included here because of their selective 

 action against different cells. 



Antitumor Substance 289 



Produced by: Streptomyces sp. 



Synonym: Closely related to luteomycin. 



Method of extraction: Extraction of the broth at pH 7.0 with ethyl acetate 

 or butyl acetate. Back extraction with water at pH 2.0. This process 

 was repeated three times. The final water solution was adjusted at pH 

 5.0 and was freeze dried. 



Chemical and physical properties: Basic, orange-yellow pigment. The hydro- 

 chloride is soluble in water, methanol and acetone but the sulfate has 

 little solubility in ethanol and acetone. It can be precipitated out of 

 aqueous solutions as the picrate, reineckate or helianthate. Positive 

 ferric chloride test, negative ninhydrin, Molisch and Sakaguchi tests. 



