[The action of acridine derivatives on penicillinase production by staphylococcus aureus]

A study was made of a possibility of inhibition of biosynthesis of penicillinase in Staph. aureus by acridine derivatives. Acetone preparations of penicillinase were obtained from the cultures of staphylococcus strains 16/160 and 8325 (p11(147) pen 1220) grown in the presence of various subbacterial concentrations of acridine derivatives. The activity of the enzyme was studied in experiment and control by the microiodometric method. Acriflavine and proflavine inhibited the penicillinase biosynthesis from the 4th hour of growth, and rivanol, acrichine, acridines No. 27 and 37--from the 12th hour of the culture growth.