Interventions for Tuberculosis Control and Elimination 2002

Effect of drug potentiated by ethambutol: None identified.
Effect of drug opposed by ethambutol: None identified.
Streptomycin
Discovery. Selman A Waksman isolated Actinomyces griseus from soil in
1916, 385 later termed Streptomyces griseus. 386 In 1939, Waksman’s research
group started an extensive study of substances produced by soil organisms
which destroyed other soil organisms (termed antibiotics by Waksman). 387
The first antibiotic isolated from an Actinomyces species was actinomycin
in 1940. 386 In 1942, streptothricin was isolated. 386 In September 1943
Streptomyces griseus was re-identified. 388 and the isolation of streptomycin
was reported in January 1944 (figure 22). 389 It is noteworthy that the original
table presenting the antimicrobial activity of streptomycin accorded a
single, inconspicuous line to its effect on M. tuberculosis and this finding
found no mention in the text (figure 23). 390 But in the same year Schatz
and Waksman published a paper devoted particularly to the action of streptomycin
on M. tuberculosis. 391 In 1952, Waksman received the Nobel Prize
for Physiology or Medicine. 386,387
���
��
�����
��
���
��
�
�
�����
�
�
41
� ��
�����
��
��
��
�
�����
��
Figure 22. Chemical structure of streptomycin, isolated by Schatz, Bugie, and
Waksman and reported in 1944. 390