Vancomycin
Also called Vancocin HCL and Vancocine.
The antibiotic of last resort for MRSA and other resistant Gram-positive infections, given by drip because the gut will not absorb it.
Sources and notes
- The introductionfrom sourceMoleculeFinder curated
- Other namesfrom sourcePubChem / Wikidata
- Formula and weightcomputedPubChem
- 2D drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKit
Where you encounter it
Dispensed on prescription, not sold on a shelf.
Sources and notes
- The line abovefrom sourceMoleculeFinder curatedFrom the group the molecule belongs to.
Explore its structure
Choose a part to light it up.
A carbon carrying both a C=O and an O-H, written COOH. In water it gives up that hydrogen, which is what makes the molecule an acid.
From: standard chemistry.
A C=O bonded to a nitrogen, the same link that joins amino acids in a protein. It is sturdy, and its nitrogen is not a base the way an amine's is.
From: standard chemistry.
An O-H fixed directly to a benzene ring. The ring makes that hydrogen easier to give up than an ordinary alcohol's, which is why many phenols act as antioxidants.
From: standard chemistry.
Sources and notes
- The drawingcomputedPubChem structure, drawn by RDKitThe page's one shipped drawing, with the chosen part lit in amber under it.
- The partscomputedFound by ruleEach part is found by a chemical pattern, never picked by hand atom by atom; its words say where they come from.
Properties and sources
Calculated by PubChem
- Molecular formula
- C66H75Cl2N9O24
- Molecular weight
- 1449.2 g/mol
- XLogP3octanol/water, log units
- −2.6
- Polar surface areatopological
- 530 Ų
- H-bond donors
- 19
- H-bond acceptors
- 26
- Rotatable bonds
- 13
- Complexity
- 2960
Measured LD50, HSDB via PubChem
5,000 mg/kg pure vancomycin, mouse, oral
An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person.
Reported Hazard label (GHS), ECHA via PubChem
Danger Health hazard pictogram (GHS08); hazard statements H334
Reported Licence
The US Food and Drug Administration licenses Vancomycin for human use (NDA 050606, authorized April 15, 1986). Drugs@FDA
Groups it belongs to
- Category
- Prescription medicine
- Family
- Antibiotics
- Chemical groups
- Alcohols, Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Aromatics, Amides, Phenols, Ethers, Halogenated
- Hazard classes
- Health hazard, GHS Danger
- Size
- Over 1000 g/mol
C[C@H]1[C@H]([C@@](C[C@@H](O1)O[C@@H]2[C@H]([C@@…284 charactersPubChem CID 14969 · Wikidata Q424027 · InChIKey MYPYJXKWCTUITO-LYRMYLQWSA-N · Data refreshed
Questions
- What is Vancomycin?
- The antibiotic of last resort for MRSA and other resistant Gram-positive infections, given by drip because the gut will not absorb it.
- How toxic is Vancomycin?
- The reported LD50 of Vancomycin is 5,000 mg/kg (mouse, oral). An LD50 is an animal study measurement, not a dose for a person. Its GHS hazard label carries the signal word Danger and the hazard pictogram Health hazard. from sourcefrom source
- What kind of molecule is Vancomycin?
- Vancomycin has the formula C66H75Cl2N9O24 and a molecular weight of 1,449.2 g/mol. MoleculeFinder files it under antibiotics, in the prescription medicine group. from sourcefrom sourcefrom sourcefrom source
- Who licenses Vancomycin as a medicine?
- The US Food and Drug Administration licenses Vancomycin for human use (NDA 050606, authorized April 15, 1986). from source
Sources and notes
- Calculated valuescomputedPubChemComputed from the structure, so no laboratory conditions apply; complexity is PubChem's own structural score.
- LD50from sourceHSDB via PubChemOther values the sources report: rat, intravenous, 319 mg/kg; mouse, intravenous, 430 mg/kg; mouse, another route, 1,734 mg/kg; mouse, another route, 5,000 mg/kg. The page shows the one LD50 the site uses everywhere.
- Hazard labelfrom sourceECHA via PubChemThe label combines these classifications.
- ECHAfrom sourceAttributionSource: European Chemicals Agency, echa.europa.eu.
- Licencefrom sourceDrugs@FDARead 2026-10-21.
- Data refreshedfrom sourceMoleculeFinder2026-11-09