ERYTHROMYCIN IN LOCAL TREATMENT OF CUTANEOUS BACTERIAL INFECTIONS

Abstract

Erythromycin, discovered by McGuire and his associates¹ in 1952, is a new antibiotic produced by a micro-organism (identified as a strain of Streptomyces erythreus that was isolated from a soil sample collected on the Island of Panay, Philippine Islands. This antibiotic is white, crystalline, soluble in water to the extent of about 2 mg. per milliliter, and highly soluble in some organic solvents, such as alcohol and acetone. It is a basic compound with an empiric formula that is thought to approximate C₃₉H₇₃NO₁₃; there is no benzene ring structure in the formula. Stability data indicate that the dry crystalline compound is stable at room temperature for at least a year, but solutions of the antibiotic are comparatively unstable. The best stability is achieved with low temperature and neutral pH. At room temperature with a pH of 7, 86% activity remained after a storage period