Small molecule
PubChem CID 14969
Vancomycin
Vancocin
- Mechanism of action
- Glycopeptide antibiotic, inhibits bacterial cell-wall (peptidoglycan) biosynthesis
- In plain language
- Stops bacteria from building their protective outer wall, so the bacteria fall apart and die.
- How it works
- Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic whose bactericidal action results primarily from inhibition of bacterial cell-wall biosynthesis. The label notes it also alters bacterial-cell-membrane permeability and RNA synthesis, mechanisms that together contribute to bacterial death, and states there is no cross-resistance between vancomycin and other antibiotic classes. Vancomycin is not active in vitro against gram-negative bacilli, mycobacteria, or fungi; its spectrum is limited to gram-positive organisms such as staphylococci, including heterogeneous methicillin-resistant strains, and enterococci. Because vancomycin is poorly absorbed after oral administration, achieving therapeutic blood levels for systemic infections requires intravenous dosing, with a mean elimination half-life of 4 to 6 hours in patients with normal renal function; the oral route is reserved instead for local gastrointestinal infections such as C. difficile-associated colitis.
- Therapeutic applications
- Indicated for the treatment of serious or severe infections caused by susceptible strains of methicillin-resistant (β-lactam-resistant) staphylococci, including for penicillin-allergic patients or those who cannot receive or have failed other drugs such as penicillins or cephalosporins. Effective in the treatment of staphylococcal endocarditis, and documented in other staphylococcal infections including septicemia, bone infections, lower respiratory tract infections, and skin and skin-structure infections. Reported to be effective, alone or combined with an aminoglycoside, for endocarditis caused by S. viridans or S. bovis, and effective only in combination with an aminoglycoside for enterococcal endocarditis. The parenteral form may also be administered orally to treat antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis caused by C. difficile and for staphylococcal enterocolitis, though vancomycin is not effective by the oral route for other types of infections.
- Class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Antibiotic
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