Rifampin is an antibiotic used alone or in combination with other antimicrobial drugs to treat tuberculosis and asymptomatic carriers of Neisseria meningitidis. Rifampin, also known as rifampicin, is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial that was first discovered in 1965 and clinically used in 1968.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 2 references
Rifampin works by binding to the beta-subunit of microbial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RNAP), thereby inhibiting the enzyme and impeding RNA synthesis. It reduces the affinity of RNAP for short RNA transcripts. It has no activity against the mammalian RNAP enzyme.
- Primary indication
- Rifampin is indicated for the treatment of tuberculosis and asymptomatic carriers of Neisseria meningitidis to eliminate meningococci from the nasopharynx.Curator reviewed · 8 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C43H58N4O12 · 822.9402 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2006 · United States, 1971
- Also known as
- 5,6,9,17,19,21-Hexahydroxy-23-methoxy-2,4,12,16,18,20,22-heptamethyl-8-[N-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)formimidoyl]-2,7-(epoxypentadeca[1,11,13]trienimino)naphtho[2,1-b]furan-1,11(2H)-dione 21-acetate · Rifampicin
- Code names
- BA-41166/E · L-5103 LEPETIT · NIH-10782 · NSC-113926
- Brand names
Resolves to
JQXXHWHPUNPDRT-WLSIYKJHSA-NSMILESCO[C@H]1\C=C\O[C@@]2(C)OC3=C(C2=O)C2=C(O)C(\C=N\N4CCN(C)CC4)=C(NC(=O)\C(C)=C/C=C/[C@H](C)[C@H](O)[C@@H](C)[C@@H](O)[C@@H](C)[C@H](OC(C)=O)[C@@H]1C)C(O)=C2C(O)=C3CWhat you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Rifampin, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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