Neomycin

Neomycin is an aminoglycoside compound that is relatively toxic and therefore not used systemically. Neomycin was first described by Waksman and Lechevalier in 1949 as a product of Streptomyces fradiae. Three chemically similar constituents have been described, neomycin A, B, and C. Purification of a similar compound was performed at Roussell Laboratories, after description by Decaris in France, and was called framycetin (Soframycin, Fradiomycin) (Decaris, 1953). Later, it appeared that framycetin was identical to neomycin B sulfate, and references in this chapter to neomycin thus include framycetin. Marketed formulations may contain various mixtures of the compounds or just one of the three forms, as is the case with framycetincontaining formulations. The chemical names of neomycin A, B, and C differ somewhat. The empirical formula of neomycin B is C23H46N6O13, and the molecular weight is 614 (Figure 57.1).

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