Ristocetin A, a glycopeptide related to vancomycin, is an antibiotic produced by the microorganism Nocardia lurida[1].
Ristocetin A is currently in clinical use to treat bacterial infections [1]. Ristocetin A is an antibiotic which can be used to treat staphylococcal infections. The side effects of ristocetin A include thrombocytopenia and platelet agglutination. Ristocetin A has been used in two assays: the ristocetin cofactor assay and the ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation assay. These two assays could be used to diagnosis the von Willebrand disease and other bleeding disorders [2, 3]. The structural features of Ristocetin A are similar to vancomycin.
References:
[1] Pearson A J, Heo J N. Approaches to the fully functionalized DEF ring system of ristocetin A via highly selective ruthenium-promoted SNAr reaction[J]. Organic letters, 2000, 2(19): 2987-2990.
Hawks G H. Antibiotic therapy of staphylococcal infections[J]. Canadian Medical Association journal, 1965, 93(16): 848.
[3] Castaman, G. ,Hillarp, A. and Goodeve, A. Laboratory aspects of von Willebrand disease: Test repertoire and options for activity assays and genetic analysis. Haemophilia 20(suppl 4), 65-70 (2014).