Antituberculous Activity and Toxicity of Lupulon for the Mouse.

Lupulon, a fat-soluble antibiotic derived from hops, has relatively low in vitro activity (1:40,000) as compared with other antituberculous agents. Despite this observation, lupulon (given orally or intramuscularly) was active against experimental mouse infections of M. tuberculosis. Following intramuscular administration, significantly lower numbers of acid-fast organisms occurred in lesions of treated animals. The approximate numbers relative to the control were: In the liver, 34 to 1; heart, 8 to 1; spleen, 4 to 1; and lungs, 4 to 1; but not in the kidneys. In orally treated animals the ratios were: Liver, 10 to 1; heart, 3 to 1; spleen, 10 to 1; lungs, 5 to 1, and kidneys, 2 to 1. The over-all difference was a reduction of approximately 4 to 1 by either route of administration.