[Chemical characteristics of the antibiotic, memomycin (LIA-0775)].

By its physico-chemical and biological properties memomycin was classified as belonging to the group of hydrostatin-nifimycin. Memomycin contained ester (or lactone) and amide, 7 C-methyl and 10-12 acetylating groups. Oxidation of the antibiotic with an excess of alkaline permanganate solution revealed the presence of an unbroken chain consisting at least of 8 methylen groups in the carbon skeleton of memomycin. Acid hydrolysis revealed no sugars and ninhidrine-positive components. Memomycin differed from the antibiotics close to nifimycin mainly in the UV-spectra. It differed from hydrostatin, muzarine, rinamycin and azalomycin by a complete set of physico-chemical properties and biological spectrum. On the basis of these data memomycin may be considered an original antibiotic.