[Antimicrobial and hemolytic activities of gradex]. / Antimikrobnaia i gemoliticheskaia aktivnost' gradeksa.

Gradex is a polymer preparation resulting from formation of covalent bonds between the molecules of gramicidin S, a polypeptide antibiotic, and dextran, a polymeric carrier. Antimicrobial and hemolytic activities of gradex were studied. It was shown that the antimicrobial activity of gradex was due to the presence of gramicidin S in its composition. The activity level was lower than that of gramicidin S. It was also found that the gradex reduced form in concentrations up to 300 micrograms/ml had practically no hemolytic effect against human erythrocytes. The reduced form of gradex is promising for development of an artificial ++anti-brucellosis vaccine.

Clinical evaluation of trimethoprim-containing ophthalmic solutions in humans.

We studied trimethoprim in combination with sulfacetamide and polymyxin B and also in combination with polymyxin B alone (without the sulfacetamide) to determine the efficacy and safety of these new antibiotic combinations in the eyes of patients with bacterial conjunctivitis or blepharitis. Patients were selected for the study if they showed at least three of the following criteria: (1) symptoms of a surface ocular infection; (2) a purulent discharge; (3) a polymorphonuclear neutrophilic response on Giemsa stain; (4) a history of recent exposure to an infected individual; (5) a history of an inadequately treated surface bacterial infection. Trimethoprim-sulfacetamide-polymyxin B and polymyxin B-neomycin-gramicidin (Neosporin, the control) eliminated bacteria from the eyes of patients with conjunctivitis or blepharitis with equal effectiveness. There was no loss of effectiveness when trimethoprim-polymyxin B was compared with trimethoprim-sulfacetamide-polymyxin B, suggesting that the sulfacetamide was not a necessary component. The combination antibiotic containing trimethoprim and polymyxin B appears to be an effective topical antibiotic solution for the treatment of ocular surface infections.

[The safety evaluation of fradiomycin-gramicidin S troches "Meiji" (author's transl)].

The troches "Meiji" contain fradiomycin (neomycin), an aminoglycoside antibiotic, and gramicidin S, and are effective against gram-negative and -positive bacteria. In this paper the safety evaluation of the troches is reported. In this study male guinea pigs of Hartley strain were used, and fradiomycin (FRM) and gramicidin S (GRMN) were administered orally for 35 days consecutively except Sunday. The PRYER'S reflex test was carried out with frequency range of 10,000 approximately 15,000 Hz before, during and after the administration. After the last administration the animals underwent vital perfusion with physiological saline and then with Wittmack's fixative. Bilateral temporal bones were removed and fixed in the same fixative for several days. Using a conventional method, serial celloidin horinzontal sections were prepared and stained with hematoxyline-eosine to observe histopathological effect of the medicines on the organs of CORTI. The results were as follows: 1) There were no remarkable differences in the treated animals from the initial states. No animal died at all the doses tested. 2) All of the guinea pigs received 10 and 50 mg/kg of FRM and 4 and 20 mg/kg of GRMN for 35 days indicated positive pinna reflex in the extensive frequency range of 10,000 approximately 15,000 Hz. There was no remarkable damage in the organ of CORTI on histopathological examination. 3) It was concluded from these results that the troches are highly safe.