VINCRISTINE SULFATE

📋 Quick facts

Description: VINCRISTINE SULFATE — VINCRISTINE SULFATE. Formula: C46H58N4O14S. MW: 923.0. IUPAC: methyl (1R,9R,10S,11R,12R,19R)-11-acetyloxy-12-ethyl-4-[(13S,15S,17S)-17-ethyl-17-hydroxy-13-methoxycarbonyl-1,11-diazatetracyclo[13.3.1.04,12.05,10]nonadeca-4(12),5,7,9-tetraen-13-yl]-8-formyl-10-hydroxy-5-methoxy-8,16-diazapentacyclo[10.6.1.01,9.02,7.016,19]nonadeca-2,4,6,13-tetraene-10-carboxylate;sulfuric acid.

Quick Facts:

• Category: other
• Also Known As: Vincristine sulfate, Vincristine

Proven Benefits At A Glance:

• Vincristine sulfate is a chemotherapy ingredient used to treat certain cancers, including melanoma
• It’s being studied in specialized delivery formats (liposomes and nanoparticles) to improve how it reaches cancer cells
• Researchers are exploring ways to reduce side effects by targeting the drug more precisely to tumors
• It is not a skincare ingredient—it’s a pharmaceutical compound used in medical oncology

📊 Comedogenicity

🛡️ Safety rating

Safety tier is a starting heuristic from regulatory status and comedogenic rating, not a dermatological verdict — see our Terms for the full disclaimer. Research confidence reflects how many real cited studies back this ingredient, not the strength of their findings.

🌍 Regulatory Status

💧 Skin Type Compatibility

⚠️ Don’t Combine With

📚 Research & Evidence

🔬 The Science

Vincristine sulfate is an anticancer medication being investigated in advanced delivery formulations rather than as a consumer skincare product. Here’s what the research shows:

#1: Delivery System Innovation (J Clin Pharmacol, 2006; Melanoma Res, 2008): Scientists have encapsulated vincristine sulfate into liposomes—tiny fat-based spheres made of sphingomyelin and cholesterol—to change how the drug circulates in the body. This liposomal formulation (called VSLI or Marqibo) stays in the bloodstream longer than conventional vincristine, potentially allowing better targeting of cancer cells (J Clin Pharmacol, 2006). The drug remains largely contained within the plasma rather than distributing widely throughout tissues. #2: Emerging Nanoparticle Research (Pak J Pharm Sci, 2025): Researchers are also experimenting with albumin (a blood protein) nanoparticles—particles about 162.70 nanometers in size—loaded with vincristine sulfate for intravenous delivery.

Early laboratory work suggests these nanoparticles may enhance the drug’s ability to reach cancer cells while potentially reducing effects on normal cells, though this research is still in early stages (Pak J Pharm Sci, 2025). #3: Limited Dermatological Data (Exp Neurol, 1984): One older animal study found that vincristine sulfate affected touch sensitivity in rat skin, increasing the threshold for sensing mechanical pressure within 24 hours, though this recovered by week 3 (Exp Neurol, 1984). This is not evidence of skincare benefit—it describes a neurological effect unrelated to cosmetic use. #4: Clinical Tolerance (Melanoma Res, 2008; J Clin Pharmacol, 2011): In cancer patients receiving vincristine sulfate liposome infusions, side effects were generally mild to moderate, with grade 1-2 severity being most common, though some patients experienced grade 3 constipation and nerve-related symptoms (Melanoma Res, 2008).

The medication was generally well tolerated even in patients with impaired liver function (J Clin Pharmacol, 2011). Importantly, these sources describe vincristine sulfate exclusively as an intravenous pharmaceutical treatment for cancer—not as a topical skincare ingredient. The research focuses on systemic delivery to treat malignancies, not on skin health or beauty applications.

📄 Related Research

Matched by search — not necessarily verified support for every statement above.

• Bedikian AY et al. (2006). Pharmacokinetics and urinary excretion of vincristine sulfate liposomes injection in metastatic melanoma patients. J Clin Pharmacol.
• Leon J et al. (1984). Effects of vincristine sulfate on touch dome function in the rat. Exp Neurol.
• Bedikian AY et al. (2008). A pilot study with vincristine sulfate liposome infusion in patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma Res.
• Hasan HJ et al. (2025). Cytotoxicity of bovine serum albumin nanoparticles loaded with vincristine sulfate for intravenous drug delivery: In vitro and in vivo studies. Pak J Pharm Sci.
• Bedikian AY et al. (2011). Pharmacokinetics and safety of Marqibo (vincristine sulfate liposomes injection) in cancer patients with impaired liver function. J Clin Pharmacol.

🧴 Products Containing VINCRISTINE SULFATE