Teicoplanin

Teicoplanin (Targocid) is a lipoglycopeptide antibiotic chemically related to vancomycin (Bardone et al., 1978), which was obtained by fermenting Actinoplanes teichomyceticus (Parenti et al., 1978). Similar to vancomycin (see Chapter 43, Vancomycin), it has a broad spectrum of activity against Gram-positive aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including strains resistant to many other antimicrobials (Parenti et al., 1978; Greenwood, 1988). Teicoplanin comprises six closely related major components whose activities against specific microbial species differ. Its empirical formula is C₈₉H₁₀₈N₉O₃₅Cl₂, and its molecular mass is 1993; the chemical structure is shown in Figure 44.1. Teicoplanin binds to the cell wall and inhibits cell wall biosynthesis in susceptible organisms by interfering with the polymerization of peptidoglycan (Somma et al., 1984). Like all (lipo) glycopeptides, it is not active against Gram-negative bacteria because it cannot cross their cell wall. Teicoplanin is licensed for parenteral use only. Figure 44.1 Chemical structure of teicoplanin. https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315152110/08d8042d-9481-4a8d-8c27-9bd589f6de6b/content/fig44_1.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>