[Characteristics of diffusion of polyene antibiotic levorin]

Studies were performed which provided estimation of the impact of some physico-chemical properties of levorin, a polyene Antibiotic, and in particular its multicomponent nature and capacity for isomerization on formation of inhibition zones in assay of the Antibiotic activity by the agar diffusion method. It was shown that the levorin complex components markedly differed in the biological activity and diffusion capacity. The diffusive properties of the highly active components A2 and A3 were better. The diffusion rate of isomerized levorin was much lower than that of the initial levorin. To provide better diffusion of the levorin components with low diffusion capacity it was recommended to use a new solution composed of ethanol, glycerol and water at a ratio of 15:25:60.