[The effect of dexamethoxin on the integrity of cytoplasmic membrane in gram-positive and gram-negative microorganisms].

Decamethoxin is shown to be able to increase membrane permeability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Micrococcus lysodeikticus, that is confirmed by a loss of compounds with the absorption maximum at 260 nm by cells. Parallel with this the number of viable individuals has fallen and activity of dehydrogenases has been inhibited. The aspartate and alanine aminotransferase activity was not inhibited by decamethoxin and even increased. Decamethoxin lysed the protoplasts of the tested microorganisms. At high decamethoxin concentrations (over 500 micrograms/ml for P. aeruginosa and over 200 mu/ml--for E. coli) the outflow of components from the cells of gram-negative bacteria ceased, that may be associated with the coagulation changes in the cytoplasm. A loss of the low-molecular components by M. lysodeikticus cells and lysis of protoplasts proceeded less intensely than the same processes in the gram-negative microorganisms, that is explained by a less resistance of M. lysodeikticus to decamethoxin and earlier coagulation of the cytoplasm preventing lysis.