![]() | |
![]() | |
Clinical data | |
---|---|
Pronunciation | /væŋkəˈmaɪsɪn/[1][2] |
Trade names | Vancocin, others[3] |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a604038 |
License data |
|
Pregnancy category |
|
Routes of administration | Intravenous, oral |
Drug class | Glycopeptide antibiotic |
ATC code | |
Legal status | |
Legal status | |
Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | Negligible (oral) |
Metabolism | Excreted unchanged |
Elimination half-life | 4 h to 11 h (adults, normal renal function) 6 d to 10 d (adults, impaired renal function) |
Excretion | urine (IV), feces (oral) |
Identifiers | |
| |
CAS Number | |
PubChem CID | |
PubChem SID | |
DrugBank | |
ChemSpider | |
UNII | |
KEGG | |
ChEBI | |
ChEMBL | |
CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.014.338 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C66H75Cl2N9O24 |
Molar mass | 1449.27 g·mol−1 |
3D model (JSmol) | |
| |
| |
(verify) |
Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic medication used to treat a number of bacterial infections.[7] It is used intravenously (injection into a vein) as a treatment for complicated skin infections, bloodstream infections, endocarditis, bone and joint infections, and meningitis caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.[8] Blood levels may be measured to determine the correct dose.[9] Vancomycin is also taken orally (by mouth) as a treatment for severe Clostridium difficile colitis.[7] When taken orally it is poorly absorbed.[7]
Common side effects include pain in the area of injection and allergic reactions.[7] Occasionally, hearing loss, low blood pressure, or bone marrow suppression occur.[7] Safety in pregnancy is not clear, but no evidence of harm has been found,[7][10] and it is likely safe for use when breastfeeding.[11] It is a type of glycopeptide antibiotic and works by blocking the construction of a cell wall.[7]
Vancomycin was approved for medical use in the United States in 1958.[12] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[13][14] The World Health Organization classifies vancomycin as critically important for human medicine.[15] It is available as a generic medication.[9] Vancomycin is made by the soil bacterium Amycolatopsis orientalis.[7]