Grisein, a New Antibiotic Produced by a Strain of Streptomyces griseus

Abstract

Only very few strains of S. griseus can produce streptomycin. Most of the strains produce no antibiotic, other strains produce antibiotics that are distinct from streptomycin. One such new antibiotic was isolated and designated as grisein. It is active against certain Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Its antibacterial spectrum is much more limited than that of either streptomycin or strepto-thricin. Cultures of bacteria that are made resistant, by serial passage, to streptomycin still remain sensitive to grisein. Cultures of bacteria originally sensitive to grisein give rise easily to strains resistant to this antibiotic. Grisein shows a rather low toxicity to exptl. animals and is rapidly excreted in the urine. It is capable of protecting exptl. animals against infections with Salmonella schottmulleri and Staphylococcus aureus.