Difficidin and oxydifficidin: novel broad spectrum antibacterial antibiotics produced by Bacillus subtilis. I. Production, taxonomy and antibacterial activity.

Difficidin and oxydifficidin, two novel macrocyclic polyene lactone phosphate esters were discovered in fermentation broths of each of two strains of Bacillus subtilis: ATCC 39320 and ATCC 39374. Difficidin and oxydifficidin each showed a broad spectrum of activity against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Many of the susceptible aerobes and anaerobes were human pathogens resistant to one or more antibiotics. Difficidin and oxydifficidin when administered intraperitoneally protected mice against an otherwise lethal bacteremia caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae (ED50 in mg/kg of 1.31 and 15.6 respectively). Neither difficidin nor oxydifficidin were effective when administered via the subcutaneous route.