Bleomycin is a complex of 11 glycopeptide antitumor antibiotics originally isolated from Streptomyces verticillus in 1972. The dominant components of the complex are bleomycin A2 and B2, which typically represent >90% of the total weight. Bleomycins have found clinical application in the treatment of a range of tumors.
Bleomycin is soluble in water and methanol, with moderate ethanol solubility.
CAS Number
9041-93-4
Molecular Formula
C55H84N17O21S3 (for A2)
Molecular Weight
1415.6 (for A2)
Mechanism of Action
Bleomycins act by intercalation of DNA and RNA. In the presence of oxygen and metal ions, notably copper and iron, bleomycins form a pseudo-enzyme that induces DNA cleavage.
Storage Conditions
-20°C