Abstract
As Voegtlin 1 and others have shown that the action and toxicity of arsphenamine is closely related to their viscosity and colloidality, and as the action of antiseptics is greatly diminished by the presence of protein and of lipoids (Hirschfelder and Decherd 2 ) we have studied the appearance of solutions of a number of these substances under the Szigmondy slit ultramicroscope. Solutions of arsphenamine and neoarsphenamine show the soap-bubble-like appearance of hydrated lyophillic colloids, the micellae being smallest between pH 7 and 9, and again from 11 to 13. In the presence of proteins they aggregate to form stellate, highly refractive micellae. Rivanol is fluorescent, lyophillic, soap-bubble-like and aggregates with proteins. Triphenyl methane dyes are crystalloidal, but aggregate with proteins. Quinine and the hydrocuprein series (optochin, eucupin and vuzin) are fluorescent, crystalloid and aggregate with proteins. Metaphen is crystalloid and produces little change in the proteins. Mercurochrome and acriflavine show fluorescence, but no visible particles; the micellae formed by mercurochrome and protein appear to be quite small; with acriflavine the protein aggregates are somewhat larger.
These colloidal phenomena are probably associated with the toxicity and pharmacological action of the drugs, especially in intravenous injection.
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