210 THE ANTIBIOTICS 



Chemical and physical properties: Basic compound. White column-shaped 

 crystals. Free base slightly soluble in water and very soluble in alcohols, 

 acetone, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, chloroform, and benzene; in- 

 soluble in petroleum ether, m.p. 126-129°C; [a]* 5 -60.4° in ethanol. 

 Maximum light absorption at 230-232 m/i in ethanol. Stable at neu- 

 trality. C27H 42 NOl0. 



Biological activity: Very active against gram-positive bacteria, including 

 anaerobes. Very limited activity against gram-negative bacteria ex- 

 cept Hemophilus and Neisseria. Limited activity against mycobacteria. 

 No activity against fungi. Active in vivo against Clostridium welchii, 

 Spirochaeta recurrentis, rickettsiae, and lymphogranuloma virus. 



Toxicity: LD 6 o (mice), intravenous, 650 mg/kg; subcutaneous, 800 mg/kg. 



Reference: Hata, T., Sano, Y., Ohki, N., Yokoyama, Y., Matsumae, H., 

 and Ito, S., J. Antibiotics (Japan), A 6, 1953, 87-89. 



Litmocidin 



Produced by: Nocardia cyanea (Proactinomyces cyaneus-antibioticus) . 



Method of extraction: Extraction of agar cultures with water, acidification 

 to pH 3.5, adsorption on charcoal. Elution with acid acetone, con- 

 centration in vacuo to dryness. Residue dissolved in ethanol and pre- 

 cipitated with water. 



Chemical and physical properties: Pigment red under acid conditions and 

 blue under alkaline reaction. Water soluble at alkaline reaction. 

 Stable, m.p. 144 to 146°C. Closely related to anthocyans. 



Biological activity: Very active against gram-positive bacteria and myco- 

 bacteria, limited activity against gram-negative bacteria. No action 

 against Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus in mice. 



Toxicity: LD B o (mice), intraperitoneal, 50 mg/kg. 



Utilization: None. 



Reference: Gause, G. F., J. Bacterid., 51, 1946, 649-653; Brazhnikova, M. 

 G., ibid, 655-657. 



Luteomycin 



Produced by: Streptomyces tanashiensis (related to S. aureus and S. anti- 

 bioticus). 



Method of extraction: Extraction from broth with organic solvents (chloro- 

 form, ethyl acetate) at pH 7.5-8.0. Back extraction of organic solvents 

 with water at pH 3.0. Chromatography on alumina column. Column 

 developed with acetone or methanol. 



Chemical and physical properties: Basic compound. Hydrochloride easily 

 soluble in chloroform; moderately soluble in water, ethanol, methanol, 

 acetone, ethyl acetate, and butyl acetate; and insoluble in ether, 



