Chloramphenicol is an antibiotic that works against a range of bacterial infections. It is available in various forms, including eye drops for conjunctivitis.
When taken orally or through an injection, it can help manage plague, typhoid, meningitis, and cholera. While taking this medicine, checking the level of the drugs and white blood cells is usually recommended.
It is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that combats bacterial growth by inhibiting the production of proteins.
This product was discovered in 1947 when it was isolated from Streptomyces venezuelae. Its chemical structure was identified and synthesized in 1949. Chloramphenicol belongs to the Essential Medicines list of the World Health Organization.
What Is Chloramphenicol?
Definition
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum, semisynthetic antibiotic obtained from Streptomyces venequela. It is bacteriostatic by nature.
Chemical and Physical Features
CAS Number: 56-75-7
Molecular Formula: C11H12Cl2N2O5
Weight: 323.13
Appearance: Needles or elongated plates from water or ethylene dichloride
Melting point: 150.5 °C
Taste: Bitter to taste
Solubility: 2500 mg/L
pH: Neutral to litmus
Structure
Brand Names
It is available in the brand names Chloromycetin Sodium Succinate, Chloromycetin, and Chloracol.
Chloramphenicol Forms And Specifications
Chloramphenicol is available in the following forms:
Chloramphenicol API Powder 99%: It is raw form that can be used to make various formulations.
Chloramphenicol Palmitate: It is available as a liquid or capsule and sold as chloramphenicol palmitate ester (CPE). This form is inactive, which is converted into an active form in the small intestine. There is no difference in bioavailability between CPE and Chloramphenicol.
Chloramphenicol Sodium Succinate: This is an intravenous preparation of Chloramphenicol. It is also an inactive form and needs to be hydrolyzed. About 30% of the drug is lost in this process, so an increased dose is given to achieve levels that are equal to the oral dose.
Chloramphenicol Eye Drops: It is used to combat conjunctivitis.
Chloramphenicol Eye Ointment: This form is also effective against bacterial conjunctivitis.
Chloramphenicol oil suspension: It is a long-acting preparation that was initially used to treat typhoid. It may also be helpful in the treatment of meningitis.
Chloramphenicol Spectrum
Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that effectively treats ocular infections such as blepharitis and conjunctivitis caused by bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli.
However, it cannot fight Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The minimum inhibitory concentration of some common organisms are:
S. aureus: 0.06 – 128 μg/mL
E. coli: 0.015 – 10,000 μg/mL
S. pneumoniae: 2 – 16 μg/mL
The concentrations vary depending on the bacterial strain. For instance, some strains of E. coli are resistant to Chloramphenicol.
Mechanism Of Action Of Chloramphenicol
The product is bacteriostatic that works by inhibiting protein synthesis. It stops the protein chain elongation by hindering the peptidyl transferase activity of the organism ribosome.
Chloramphenicol binds to A2452 and A2451 residues of the 23S rRNA (50S ribosomal subunit). All this stops peptide bond formation. Unlike macrolides, Chloramphenicol alters the substrate binding.
Chloramphenicol Manufacturing Process
The following steps are involved in the formation of Chloramphenicol:
Nitromethane and benzaldehyde are synthesized to (R)-2-nitro-1-benzylcarbinol with the help of a chiral catalyst
The above product is reacted with formaldehyde to form (1R,2R)-2-nitro-1-benzyl-1,3-propanediol
Hydrogenation reduction of the product results in an intermediate product that is converted to Chloramphenicol
Chloramphenicol Dosage
The common doses include:
Injectable form: 50 mg/kg/day every six hours in most cases. For severe infection, the dose may be increased to 100 mg/kg/day. In infants and children, the dose may be similar to the adult dose. For kids with suspected immature metabolic problems, the dose may be 25 mg/kg/day.
Drops: One drop every two or three hours or as prescribed by your physician.
Chloramphenicol Uses
Common uses of the product involve:
Systemic infection
Bacterial conjunctivitis
Bacterial blepharitis
Other conditions such as typhoid, meningitis, or rickettsial infection
Chloramphenicol Side Effects
Chloramphenicol is a safe product, and side effects are usually rare.
Some common side effects include burning or stinging in the eye. However, this is temporary and resolves soon. If you are facing this effect, avoid driving or operating heavy machinery.
When used for ear infections, it may cause mild irritation, stinging, or itching. In case you notice the surrounding skin is irritated or red, it is best to inform your doctor. This may be a sign of skin inflammation.
Chloramphenicol API Price
The average Chloramphenicol API price in China is $ 52-55 per kg.
Chloramphenicol API Manufacturers In China
Many reputed pharma ingredients manufacturers offer Chloramphenicol in China. Some of them include:
Nanjing Baijingyu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.: It is a comprehensive pharmaceutical enterprise that manufactures chemical preparations and chemical API. They have 113 registered products that include 91 preparations and 22 APIs. The company is a fixation point for to produce narcotic and Contraceptive Drugs.
Northeast Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd.: It is one of the large-scale enterprises in China. They are into micro-ecological and western medicinal preparation, bio-fermentation API and chemical synthetic API, and medical business distribution. They are well known for the production of 12 series, including antibiotics, vitamins, narcotic medicines, anti-AIDS, and cerebrovascular and cardiovascular medicines.
Wuhan Wuyao Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd: They have professional management of staff and a strict cGMP system. They are mainly into the production of Chloramphenicol, Metamizole Sodium, Isoproterenol Sulphate, Ethambutol Dihydrochloride Noradrenaline Bitartrate, Enoxacin, and Adrenaline HCL.
Bulk Production
You can also buy Chloramphenicol in bulk from PharmaSources.com. It is an e-commerce online destination with multiple high-quality global suppliers. PharmSources offers high-quality products to about 211 countries and regions. You can also compare products sold by various distributors and companies and thus make an informed decision.
FAQs
What’s the Market Size for Chloramphenicol Powder?
Chloramphenicol drops market is around 200 USD millions that is predicted to reach about 500 USD millions by 2027 worldwide.
How Does Chloramphenicol Kill Bacteria?
Chloramphenicol is bacteriostatic that works by inhibiting protein synthesis. It stops the protein chain elongation by hindering the peptidyl transferase activity of the organism ribosome. It binds to A2452 and A2451 residues of the 23S rRNA (50S ribosomal subunit). All this stops peptide bond formation. Unlike macrolides, Chloramphenicol alters the substrate binding.
What Does Chloramphenicol Target?
The product targets A2452 and A2451 residues in the 23S rRNA belonging to the 50S ribosomal subunit. All in all, it works by inhibiting protein synthesis.
References:
https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Chloramphenicol
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chloramphenicol
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-19138-879/chloramphenicol-ophthalmic-eye/chloramphenicol-drops-ophthalmic/details
https://www.rxlist.com/consumer_chloramphenicol_chloramphenicol/drugs-condition.htm
https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00446
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