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| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Trade names | Hetacin, Versapen | 
| AHFS/Drugs.com | Veterinary Use | 
| Routes of administration | Intramammary injection | 
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| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| ECHA InfoCard | 100.020.466 | 
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C19H23N3O4S | 
| Molar mass | 389.47 g·mol−1 | 
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
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Hetacillin is a beta-lactam antibiotic that is part of the aminopenicillin family. It is a prodrug and has no antibacterial activity itself, [1] but quickly splits off acetone in the human body to form ampicillin, [2] which is active against a variety of bacteria.
Hetacillin can be administered orally. The potassium salt, hetacillin potassium, is administered by injection, either intravenously [3] or intramuscularly. [4] It is sold under the trade name Hetacin for intramammary injection in veterinary use. [5]
Hetacillin was withdrawn from the market for human use when the discovery was made that it had no advantages over ampicillin. [6]
Hetacillin is prepared from ampicillin and acetone. In aqueous solutions it is unstable, with a half life of 15 to 30 minutes at 37 °C (99 °F) and pH 7, quickly releasing acetone again. [7]