The Nature of the Antibiotic Substances Produced by Aspergillus fumigatus

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Abstract
A. fumi-gatus produces 3 distinct antibiotic substances which differ in chem. nature and in the range of their antibacterial action. Of the 3 substances, the pigment fumigatin is the least active, fumigacin more active, and gliotoxin the most active. (A 4th substance, spinulosin, has been reported to be produced by some strains of this organism). Gliotoxin acts on a larger variety of bacteria, including some gram-negative ones, than does fumigacin. Gliotoxin is more toxic to animals than fumigacin. Of the compounds, fumigacin, because of its low toxicity to animals and its activity in vivo, offers the greatest promise as a chemotherapeutic agent, but it is far less active than penicillin.