Title: Bacitracin
CAS Registry Number: 1405-87-4
Trademarks: Ak-Tracin (Akorn); Baciim (Pharma-Tek); Fortracin (CPC); Ocu-Tracin (Ocumed)
Literature References: Antibiotic polypeptide complex produced by
Bacillus subtilis and
B. licheniformis; mixture of at least nine bacitracins of which
bacitracin A is the major component. Isoln: Johnson
et al., Science 102, 376 (1945); Anker
et al., J. Bacteriol. 55, 249 (1948). Purification of bacitracin by carrier displacement method: Porath,
Acta Chem. Scand. 6, 1237 (1952). Purification with ion exchange resin: Chaiet, Cochrane,
US 2915432 (1959 to Merck & Co.). Production: Johnson, Meleney,
US 2498165 (1950 to the U.S. Secy. of War); Freaney, Allen,
US 2828246 (1958 to Commercial Solvents). Solubilities: Weiss
et al., Antibiot. Chemother. 7, 374 (1957). Preliminary structure studies: Hausmann
et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 77, 723 (1955); Lockhart
et al., Biochem. J. 61, 534 (1955); Stoffel, Craig,
J. Am. Chem. Soc. 83, 145 (1961). Structure of bacitracin A: Ressler, Kashelikar,
ibid. 88, 2025 (1966); Galardy
et al., Biochemistry 10, 2429 (1971). Synthetic studies: Munekata
et al., Bull. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 46, 3187, 3835 (1973). Mechanism of action: Storm,
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 235, 387 (1974). Comprehensive description: G. A. Brewen,
Anal. Profiles Drug Subs. 9, 1-69 (1980).
Reviews: Craig
et al., "Bacitracin" in G. E. W. Wolstenholme, C. M. O'Connor,
Ciba Foundation Symposium on Amino Acids and Peptides with Antimetabolic Activity (Little, Brown, Boston, 1958) pp 226-246; E. D. Weinberg in
Antibiotics, D. Gottlieb, P. D. Shaw, Eds. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1967)
I, pp 90-99;
II, pp 240-245; D. R. Storm, W. A. Toscano, Jr. in
Antibiotics vol. 5, pt. 1, F. E. Hahn, Ed. (Springer-Verlag, New York, 1979) pp 1-17.
Properties: Grayish-white powder. Very bitter taste. Sol in water, alcohol. Practically insol in ether, chloroform, acetone. Stable in acid soln; unstable in alkaline solns. Potency loss probably due to transformation of bacitracin A to bacitracin F, latter having little antimicrobial activity.
Therap-Cat: Antibacterial.
Therap-Cat-Vet: Antibacterial.
Keywords: Antibacterial (Antibiotics); Polypeptides.
