The chemical action of quinones on proteins and amino-acids. Part II

Abstract

The relatively greater germicidal activity of benzoquinone over tolu-quinone as compared with the ratio of their chemical reactivity with amino-acids does not discredit the previous conclusion that germicidal activity of quinones depends on chemical reaction with simpler cell-constituents rather than with complex colloids, proteins. For, addition of salts found in normal cells accelerates the faster reaction of benzoquinone but has slight effect on the slower toluquinone reaction. Temp. coefficients of phenol for bactericidal and amino-acid reactions agree closely, but not those of benzoquinone. The bactericidal temp. coefficient of the latter is too high to be consistent with the chemical interpretation. Formation of additive compounds with anthranilic acid reduces the power of benzoquinone so greatly that the final oxidation process can not be held entirely responsible for bactericidal activity. A reaction between benzoquinone and nitrogenous elements of pathologic urine gives an index having clinical application.