Chemical Derivatives of Gramicidin

Abstract

Gramicidin was treated with a number of reagents which were known, or could be shown to combine with, either its indole, or its hydroxyl groups, or both. The products were prepared and assayed in search of a water-soluble derivative of low hemolytic and high antibacterial activity. Formaldehyde had previously been shown to decrease selectively the hemolytic activity, but to render gramicidin only slightly less water-insoluble.