SOME PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE α-TOXIN OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS PYOGENES

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The α-toxin of Staphylococcus pyogenes produced a slowly developing contracture of isolated preparations of rabbit jejunum and of guinea-pig ileum which persisted after thorough washing and left the gut unresponsive to further doses of α-toxin or of acetylcholine. After incubation with antitoxin, the α-toxin no longer produced a contracture. Antitoxin only prevented the α-toxin response if added to the bath fluid before but not after the α-toxin. Certain drugs reduced the α-toxin contracture when added to the bath fluid before or after the α-toxin, but the contracture reappeared on washing. Papaverine abolished the contracture and pethidine was only slightly less active. Mepyramine, amyl nitrite, caffeine, aminophylline, adrenaline and ephedrine partly reduced the contracture. Hexamethonium, cocaine, tubocurarine and gallamine had no effect. The effect of atropine was only small. The gut-stimulant activity/haemolytic unit of two α-toxin samples differed greatly; this difference did not appear to be due to activity of impurities. The implications of these observations are discussed.