Pyocyanase

Abstract: During the last few years interest in antibiotic substances has been renewed, particularly since the marked therapeutic effectiveness of penicillin in man was proved beyond doubt. More than 30 years ago, in 1902, Emmerich, Lowe and Korschunt reported that pyocyanase, produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, detoxifies diphtheria toxin. This finding stimulated experiments on the effects of various antibiotic substances upon bacterial exotoxins. The observation of Emmerich, Lowe and Korschun was confirmed and extended, since it could be shown that pyocyanase renders atoxic both diphtheria and tetanus toxin. Tyrothricin, isolated by Dubos and Hotchkiss from Bacillus brevis, and actinomycin A, isolated by Waksman from Actinomyces antibioticus, failed to inhibit the toxicity of diphtheria and tetanus toxins.2 At the time of that investigation penicillin, the most promising therapeutic agent among the antibiotic substances, was not available. Since then the effects upon tetanus toxin of penicillin, clavacin and streptomycin were investigated. The results of this study are embodied in the following report.