Cephalosporin C, a New Antibiotic containing Sulphur and D-α-Aminoadipic Acid

A SPECIES of Cephalosporium produces a hydrophilic penicillin, called cephalosporin N, which yields D-α-aminoadipie acid on hydrolysis¹. Crude preparations of cephalosporin N have been found to show strong absorption in ultra-violet light at 260 mμ, although highly purified cephalosporin N shows very little absorption at this wave-length. A new antibiotic with an absorption maximum at 260 mμ has now been isolated from the crude preparations in the form of a crystalline sodium salt. It resembles cephalosporin N in certain physical, chemical and biological properties, but differs from it sharply in others.