A Comparative Study of Staphylococcus Haemolysins and Colisan

Abstract

Staphylococcus 8-haemolysin exhibits the same broad spectrum of antagonistic activity against smooth muscle stimulants as described recently for Colisan. The antispasmodic effect develops slowly and can be removed only by repeated washing. The pattern of haemolytic activities of Colisan is characteristically different from that of 8-haemolysin, but resembles closely a-toxin. Both staphylococcus toxins can destroy paramecium and entamoeba, but the ratio of the titres at which they kill paramecium and entamoeba respectively (P:A value) is different. The P:A value of ,-haemolysin is similar to that of Colisan.

Latent Effects of Haemolytic Agents

“…It should be recalled here that P-haemolysin exerts also an antagonistic action against many smooth-muscle stimulants (Anderson, James & Marks, 1954;Kelsey & Hobbs, 1954;Bergmann, Leon, Chaimovitz & Benzakein, 1961). This effect too may be ascribed t o enzymic alteration of the lipid layers in the smooth-muscle membrane.…”

On the Mechanism of Action of Colisan

“…had no inhibitory effect on bradykinin-induced contractions. It As has been reported previously (Bergmann et al, 1961) that 1/5 of this concentration abolishes the response to acetylcholine, histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and other smooth muscle stimulants.…”

“…Rabbit erythrocytes, when incubated with Colisan concentrations, about 10 times higher than those used in haemolysis tests for determination of H50 (Bergmann et al, 1961), did not show any sudden morphological changes. They faded gradually and disappeared finally, giving the impression that haemoglobin was released from the cells within a short time.…”

“…/ml., that is, about 25 times higher than the concentration active in 48 hr tests (Bergmann et al, 1961). Paromomycin (10 mg/ml.)…”

“…Colisan, obtained from Hillel Remedies, Haifa, was purified by a chromatographic method to be described separately. The dry material used in the present experiments killed paramecia at a concentration of about 10 Pg/ml., under the standard conditions described previously (Bergmann et al, 1961). Crystalline paromomycin sulphate was a gift of Parke, Davis & Company, Hounslow, England. Mast cells were obtained from white rats of about 100 g body weight by the following procedure.…”