Acetic Acid
Lowering pH is the whole of the medicinal action of dilute acetic acid, which serves as an antiseptic in bacterial and fungal infection of the ear canal. An acidic environment inhibits microbial growth without a specific molecular target, the same chemical principle underlying its use in vaginal preparations intended to restore normal pH. At the dilutions employed medically the solution is well tolerated, though a perforated eardrum contraindicates instillation into the ear because the preparation would reach the middle ear. Few therapeutic agents are chemically simpler, and none illustrates better that antimicrobial effect need not depend on a receptor: the formula is C2H4O2 with a molecular weight of about 60.05 g/mol.
A dilute solution of acetic acid is used medicinally as an antiseptic for ear canal infections caused by bacteria or fungi, creating an acidic environment that inhibits microbial growth. It is also a component of some vaginal preparations used to restore normal pH. At the concentrations used medically, it is safe and well tolerated, though it should not be used if the eardrum is perforated.
분자량
60.0500 g/mol
LogP
-0.20
TPSA
37.30 Ų
리핀스키 5의 법칙
통과
치료 영역
작용 기전
Disrupts microbial cell membranes and denatures proteins on contact, producing rapid broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity on skin and wound surfaces.
Pharmacokinetics (PK)
Pharmacodynamics (PD)
Disrupts microbial cell membranes and denatures proteins on contact, producing rapid broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity on skin and wound surfaces.
2D 구조
Cite this structure
Embed this structure
SMILES
CC(=O)O
InChI
InChI=1S/C2H4O2/c1-2(3)4/h1H3,(H,3,4)
Molecular Formula
C2H4O2
HBD / HBA
1 / 2
회전 가능 결합
0
무거운 원자
4
No targets recorded
Target interaction data is not yet available for this drug.
No interactions recorded
Drug interaction data is not yet available for this compound.
No side effects recorded
Side effect data is not yet available for this drug.
자주 묻는 질문
A dilute solution of acetic acid is used medicinally as an antiseptic for ear canal infections caused by bacteria or fungi, creating an acidic environment that inhibits microbial growth. It is also a component of some vaginal preparations used to restore normal pH. At the concentrations used medically, it is safe and well tolerated, though it should not be used if the eardrum is perforated.
Disrupts microbial cell membranes and denatures proteins on contact, producing rapid broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity on skin and wound surfaces.
Yes, Acetic Acid is an approved drug. It has reached clinical phase 4. It is classified as a Small molecule.
References & Data Sources
- ChEMBL — European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI). CHEMBL539. Open-access bioactivity database.
- PubChem — National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). CID 176. Chemical information database.
Data aggregated from publicly available pharmacological databases. Last updated 2026-08-20.
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