Polymyxin B Sulfate, USP

Spectrum: Polymyxin B Sulfate targets the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria especially Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Microbiology Applications: Polymyxin B Sulfate is commonly used in clinical in vitro microbiological antimicrobial susceptibility tests (panels, discs, and MIC strips) against Gram-negative microbial isolates. Medical microbiologists use AST results to recommend antibiotic treatment options.  Representative MIC values include:

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa 0.25 µg/mL – 1 µg/mL
• For a representative list of Polymyxin B Sulfate MIC values, click here.

Media Supplements:

Polymyxin B is routinely used as a selection agent in several types of isolation media:

Perfringens agar - Supplement A and Supplement B

Perfringens Agar - SFP and TSC Selective Supplements

Columbia Blood Agar - Campylobacter Selective Supplement (Skirrow)

Columbia Blood Agar - Campylobacter Selective Supplement (Blaser-Wang)

Brucella medium - Brucella Selective Supplement

MYP Agar - Polymyxin B Bacillus Selection Supplement

Legionella CYE Agar - Legionella BMPA-α Selective Supplement

Legionella CYE Agar - Legionella MWY Selective Supplement

Campylobacter Agar - Campylobacter Selective Supplement (Preston)

PALCAM Agar - PALCAM Selective Supplement

Legionella CYE Agar - Legionella GVPC Selective Supplement

m-CP Medium - Membrane C. perfringens Selective Supplement

Burkholderia cepacia Agar Base - Burkholderia cepacia Selective Supplement

ORSAB - ORSAB Selective Supplement

Campylobacter Agar Base - Modified Preston Campylobacter Selective Supplement

Brucella Medium Base - Modified Brucella Selective Supplement

Legionella CYE Agar - Legionella GVPN Selective Supplement

ChromogenicListeria Agar - Chromogenic Listeria Selective Supplement

ChromogenicBacillus cereus Agar - Chromogenic Bacillus cereus Selective Supplement

ChromogenicListeria Agar - Chromogenic Listeria Differential Supplement

Plant Biology Applications: Polymyxin B Sulfate was successfully tested to counteract phytopathogenic Gram-negative bacterial growth including different strains of Pseudomonas viridiflava and Erwinia carotovora. Polymixin B Sulfate was shown to reduce bacterial growth of different strains of Pseudomonas viridiflava at low concentrations, (0.08 µg/ml) and Erwinia carotovora growth at slightly higher concentrations (0.25 µg/ml) (Selim et al. 2005). Polymyxin B has been shown to elict alkaloid accumulation in E. californica. Treatment at 0.04 mg/ml for 4 hours showed a 5.5x increase in Jasmonate levels.

Form: Solid

Appearance: White powder

Source: Bacillus polymyxa

Assay: (Dried Basis): ≥6,000 u/mg

Loss on Drying: ≤7.0%

Melting Point: 217-220°C

Purity Level: >6000 u/mg

References:

Kassamali et al used Polymyxin B1, Polymyxin B2, Polymyxin B3, and Polymyxin B1-I (TOKU-E) to test for synergistic and antagonistic effects against various Gram-negative organisms in:  "Microbiological assessment of Polymyxin B components tested alone and in combination"

Lim et al used Polymyxin B1, B2, B3, and B1-I (TOKU-E) to study the stability of each compound in saline, dextrose, and saline/dextrose infusion solutions in: "Physicochemical stability study of Polymyxin B in various infusion solutions for administration to critically ill patients."

Crass et al used Polymyxin B1 and B2 (TOKU-E) to investigate the pharmacokinetics of Polymyxin B in:  Pharmacokinetics of Polymyxin B in hospitalized adults with cystic fibrosis.  

Cao G et al (2009)  Development and validation of a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography assay for Polymyxin B in human plasma. J. Antimicrob. Chemother.  62(5):1009-1014 PMID 18765414

Mueller MJ, Brodschelm W, Spannagl E and Zenk MH (1993)  Signaling in the elicitation process is mediated through the octadecanoid pathway leading to jasmonic acid.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 90(16):7490-7494  PMID 11607420

Newton BA (1956)  The properties and mode of action of the Polymyxins. Bacter. Rev.  20(1):14-27  PMID 13303920

Orwa JA et al (2001)  Isolation and structural characterization of Polymyxin B components. J Chromatogr A 912(2):369-373  PMID 11330807

Selim S, Negrel J, Govaerts C, Gianinazzi S and Tuinen van D (2005)  Isolation and partial characterization of antagonistic peptides produced by Paenibacillus sp. strain B2 isolated from the sorghum Mycorrhizosphere. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71(11):6501–6507  PMID 16269674

Zavascki AP, Goldani LA, Li J and Nation RL (2007)  Polymyxin B for the treatment of multidrug-resistant pathogens: A critical review. J. Antimicrob. Chemother.  60(6):1206-1215  PMID 17878146

Tam VH, Cao H, Ledesma, KR, Hu M (2011)  In vitro potency of various Polymyxin B components.55(9):4490-491  PMID 21709096