New Culture Medium for Penicillium notatum

Abstract

IN the absence of supplies of penicillin in Hungary during the War, Dr. E. Rosenthal, of St. Roch's Hospital, Budapest, isolated two strains of what appeared to be Penicillium notatum Westling from which were prepared filtrates exhibiting antibiotic activity against isolated strains of Staphylococcus albus. Since glucose or other forms of sugar required for the usual culture media were extremely difficult to obtain, substitutes were sought. The urine of diabetic patients was ultimately found to provide a good culture medium for the mould, and, for the .routine production of penicillin-active filtrates, was adjusted to contain 4 per cent of sugar. The acidity was adjusted to the usual pH. of the Czapek-Dox medium and, after filtration and sterilization, the urine was inoculated with the spores of the mould. In comparison with the Czapek-Dox medium, diabetic urine produced in most instances accelerated development of the mould with the appearance of as much as three times the amount of antibiotic activity. Similar results were usually obtained with a medium prepared by the addition of 4 per cent of glucose to normal human urine. The addition to a culture medium of substances such as indol-acetic acid is known to stimulate penicillin production, and the results obtained with diabetic urine are probably to be ascribed to the presence therein of stimulating substances of this and other types.