Chloromycetin, a New Antibiotic From a Soil Actinomycete

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Abstract
A crystalline antibiotic called chlo-romycetin has been isolated from a Streptomyces sp. The organism produced the antibiotic in aerated submerged culture in various media. A good medium contains maltose, 1 %; casein hydrolysate, 0.5%; distillers'' solubles, 0.5%; and NaCl, 0.5%. Chloromycetin was concd. and purified. It is a neutral compound containing both N and non-ionic Cl. It is stable at room temp. in aqueous solns. over the pH range of 2-9 for over 24 hrs.; in distd. water it is not affected by boiling for 5 hrs. The crystalline material showed marked chemotherapeutic activity against Rickettsia prowazeki in screening tests using chick embryos, and against a no. of rickettsiae and one virus when tested in embryonated eggs or in mice. The intravenous LD50 for 20-g. mice is 3 mg./ mouse. The compd. is well absorbed when given orally to mice and dogs.