226 THE ANTIBIOTICS 



Chemical and physical properties: Rotaventin forms colorless platelets, chang- 

 ing to yellow at about 130°C; m.p. 170-175°C. Soluble in methanol, 

 butanol, amyl alcohol, and acetone. Insoluble in ether, petroleum 

 ether, chloroform, benzene, ethyl acetate, amyl acetate, trichloroethyl- 

 ene, 5 per cent sodium bicarbonate, water at pH 2.0. Solution of rota- 

 ventin in methanol or ethanol cannot be precipitated by phospho- 

 tungstic acid and picric acid. Rotaventin changes to yellow in air 

 gradually, to red when treated with concentrated H 2 S0 4 . FeCl 2 reac- 

 tion, negative. 



Biological activity: Active in vitro against Saccharomyces sake", Aspergillus 

 niger, and Penicillium glaucum in concentration of 6 mcg/ml. Little 

 or no activity against Candida albicans, Mucor, Rhizopus, and Tri- 

 chopyton. No activity against bacteria. 



Toxicity: LD (mice), intraperitoneal, about 150 mg/kg; subcutaneous, 

 about 770 mg/kg. 



Utilization: Not known. 



Reference: Hosoya, S., Komatsu, N., and Soeda, M., J. Antibiotics( Japan), 

 5, 1952, 451-453. 



Sarcidin 



Produced by: Streptomyces achromogenes. 



Method of extraction: Adsorption on charcoal at pH 7.0. Elution with acid 



alcohol, concentration in vacuo, crystallization at to 5°C, recrystal- 



lization from 80 per cent aqueous ethanol. 

 Chemical and physical properties: m.p. 274-275 °C with decomposition. C 41.9 



per cent, H 5.0 per cent, N 21.8 per cent. Halogen and sulfur might 



also be present. Maximum stability at pH 2.0. 

 Biological activity: Active against Sarcina lutea in concentration of 1-1.5 



mcg/ml. No activity against a great number of bacteria and fungi 



tested. 

 Toxicity: LD (mice), intraperitoneal, >660 mg/kg. 

 Utilization: No data. 

 Reference: Takeuchi, T., Nitta, K., and Umezawa, H., J. Antibiotics 



(Japan), A 6, 1953, 31-32. 



Sarkomycin 



Produced by: Streptomyces sp. closely related to S. erythrochromogenes. 



Method of extraction: Extraction of broth at pH 2.0 with butanol, back ex- 

 traction in water at pH 7.0. Adsorption on charcoal at pH 2.0, elution 

 with 80 per cent ethanol at pH 7.0. 



Chemical and physical properties: Crude powder soluble in water and 



