"Similar to nigericin and other natural ionophores, the mode of action of crown ether in inhibiting growth may involve an interference with the
cation-translocating mechanism [7]_ This implies that the damaged cell has to create a new route to reestablish its cationic gradient across the
membrane before growth can resume. An alternative method is for the cell to replenish the ions that leaked out due to the presence of crown ether. The
cell wall-inhibitory antibiotics are known to cause a marked reduction of intracellular potassium ion content [2t]Indeed the adverse effect of
them as well as ionophores has been found to be reversed by the addition of excess potassium They are as follows: (a) The cation
crown complex exhibits differential toxicity when compared to their corresponding crown ethers so that the potassium 18-crown-6 complex has less
toxicity," |