214 THE ANTIBIOTICS 



be replaced by chloroform or benzene) . The solvent is evaporated and 

 substance dissolved in ethanol. 



Chemical and physical properties: Intensely violet in color, although un- 

 certain whether active substance is also colored. Thermostable. 



Biological activity: Active against gram-positive bacteria, including micro- 

 cocci and streptococci, corynebacteria and spore-formers; also active 

 against mycobacteria. Proteins and pus depress activity. Very limited, 

 if any, in vivo activity. 



Utilization: None. 



Reference: Krassilnikov, N. K., and Koreniako, A. I., Mikrobiologia, 8, 

 1939, 673; 14, 1945, 80-85; Fainshmidt, 0. I., and Koreniako, A. I., 

 Biokhimiya, 9, 1944, 147-153. 



Mycomycin 



Produced by: Nocardia acidophilus. 



Method of extraction: Ether or amyl acetate. 



Chemical and physical properties: Highly unstable unsaturated fatty acid. 



m.p. 75°C (decomposes explosively) ; [a\l 5 —130° in ethanol. C13H10O2. 

 Biological activity: Active against bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi. No 



activity in vivo. 

 Toxicity: No reliable data available. 

 Utilization: None. 

 Reference: Johnson, E. A., Abstr. papers of the 1949 meeting Soc. Am. 



Bacteriologists, pp. 68-69; Celmer, W. D., and Solomons, I. A., J. 



Am. Chem. Soc, 74, 1952, 1870-1871; Jenkins, D. E., Trans. 11th 



Conf . Chemotherapy of Tuberculosis, Veterans Administration, 1952, 



309-310. 



Neamine 



Produced by: Streptomyces fradiae. 



Synonym: Neomycin A. Neamine is a degradation product of neomycin 



but might be produced in small quantities by the neomycin-producing 



organism. 

 Method of extraction: Acid degradation of neomycin. 

 Chemical and physical properties: Basic substance; can be separated from 



neomycin by paper chromatography and counter current distribution. 



Water-soluble; highly diffusible ; [a] 2 D 5 = +83° in water. CeHi^OsNa. 

 Biological activity: Little activity. Active mainly against gram-positive 



bacteria. 

 Toxicity: LD 6 o (mice), intravenous, 320 mg/kg; subcutaneous, 1250 mg/kg. 

 Utilization: None. 

 Reference: Peck, R. L., Hoffhine, E. H., Gale, P., and Folkers, K., J. Am. 



