Vancomycin is a large glycopeptide compound with a molecular weight of 1450 Da. Vancomycin is a unique glycopeptide structurally unrelated to any currently available antibiotic. It also has a unique mode of action inhibiting the second stage of cell wall synthesis of susceptible bacteria. Vancomycin is active against a large number of species of Gram-positive bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Staph. epidermidis, Str. agalactiae, Str. bovis, Str. mutans, viridans streptococci, enterococci .

Vancomycin is administered intravenously, with a standard infusion time of at least 1 h, to minimize infusion-related adverse effects. Subjects with normal creatinine clearance, vancomycin has an α-distribution phase of 30 min to 1 h and a β-elimination half-life of 6-12 h. The volume of distribution is 0.4–1 L/kg. The binding of vancomycin to protein ranges from 10% to 50%. Factors that affect the overall activity of vancomycin include its tissue distribution, inoculum size, and protein-binding effects. Vancomycin treatment of infected mice is associated with improved clinical, diarrhea, and histopathology scores and survival during treatment.