Chloramphenicol

What is chloramphenicol?

Chloramphenicol is an active ingredient that is used to fight serious bacterial infections and thus belongs to the group of antibiotics.

The bacteria should be disturbed in their protein synthesis, i.e. the production of proteins essential for survival. So chloramphenicol is a bactericide. Better known trade names for chloramphenicol are Chloramsaar and Paraxin. It requires a prescription and is now only a second-choice antibiotic due to the numerous side effects.

application areas

One differentiates between the Applications from Chloramphenicol two types: the local and the systemic Application.

1. In the local Use, the effect of the drug is limited to one place. Examples are the use of chloramphenicol in Infections the conjunctiva / Cornea of Eye, itching or Skin infections.
2. In the systemic Use is intended to inhibit chloramphenicol infections that have caused symptoms throughout the body. To include such typhus, Dysentery, Diptheria and malaria. Chloramphenicol is also used bacterial meningitis, so Meningitis, used.

The use of chloramphenicol during pregnancy and breastfeeding is contraindicated. Among other things, the use of chloramphenicol by pregnant women can lead to Grey's syndrome.

This leads to shortness of breath and circulatory collapse in the unborn child, which can be fatal. There is also a contraindication for infants and young children. Even with diseases of the blood-forming system such as leukemia or advanced liver insufficiency, a strict indication should be made, carefully weighing the benefit and risk.

Read about this too: Medication during pregnancy and medication during breastfeeding

Ingestion, metabolism and excretion

Depending on Purpose becomes Chloramphenicol Taken orally or as a solution, ointment, but also cream applied to the eyes or skin. The Half-life of the drug three hours. Chloramphenicol is used in the Metabolized liver. It is eliminated with the urine. Chloramphenicol is partial dialysable.

Side effects

Above a certain dose of chloramphenicol, the bone marrow is damaged. The consequences are reduced production of white blood cells (leukopenia) and platelets (thromopenia). In addition, chloramphenicol, regardless of the amount ingested, can also cause aplastic anemia, so that the formation of all types of blood cells in the bone marrow is disrupted. Since chloramphenicol can cause many undesirable effects in the blood count, this drug is now only used as a second-choice antibiotic, i.e. when the patient cannot tolerate other antibiotics or they do not work.

Other known side effects of chloramphenicol, which occur less frequently, are diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, allergies, and inflammation of peripheral nerves (neuritis) or the optic nerve.

Please also read our article on this Antibiotic side effects

Grey's Syndrome

If chloramphenicol is administered to newborns under 4 months of age, poisoning can occur, which can sometimes be serious.

Read more on the subject at: Grey's Syndrome

Interactions

Chloramphenicol increases the effect of Blood thinners (Anticoagulants). The effect of phenobarbital, a drug at the Epilepsy treatment and preparation for anesthesia, is also assisted by chloramphenicol.

Does a patient go through a chemotherapy, should always be taken into account that chloramphenicol may also be with Methotrexate interacts. The reinforcing effects of chloramphenicol are also used for Sulfonylurea derivatives (Antidiabetic drugs) and Phenytoin (against epilepsy and Cardiac arrhythmia) described.