Molecular Formula: C66H75Cl2N9O24·HCl (or C66H76Cl3N9O24 depending on the degree of hydrochlorination)
Molecular Weight: Approximately 1449.25 (free base basis) or 1485.67/1485.72 (including hydrochloride salt)
Physical Properties
Appearance: White to off-white or light orange to brown powder or crystals
Solubility: Soluble in water, slightly soluble in dilute methanol, ethanol, and dimethyl sulfoxide
pH: Typically in the range of 2.5-4.5 (5% solution in water at 25°C)
Moisture Content: ≤5.0%
Chemical Properties and Mechanism of Action
Antibiotic Type: Narrow-spectrum antibiotic, specifically active against Gram-positive bacteria
Mechanism of Action: Inhibits the synthesis of bacterial cell wall by binding with high affinity to the alanyl-alanine moiety of the peptide precursors of the bacterial cell wall, blocking the formation of peptidoglycan, a critical component of the bacterial cell wall, leading to cell wall defects and bacterial cell death. It may also alter bacterial cell membrane permeability and selectively inhibit RNA synthesis.
