Chloramphenicol

Synonyms

Chloromycetin; D-(-)-threo-2,2-Dichloro-N-[beta-hydroxy-alpha-(hydroxy-methyl)-p-nitrophenethyl]acetamide; Chloroamphenicol; 2,2-Dichloro-N-[2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethyl]acetamide; D-threo-N-Dichloroacetyl-1-p-nitrophenyl-2-amino-1,3-propane-diol; D(-)-threo-2-Dichloroacetamido-1-p-nitrophenyl-propanediol; D-threo-N-(1,1`-Dihydroxy-1-p-nitrophenylisopropyl)dichloroacetamide; Ak-chlor; Alficetyn; Anacetin; Aquamycetin; Austracol; CAF; Chemiceticol; Chlomycol; Chloramex; Chloramfilin; Chloramsaar; Chlorasol; Veticol; Viceton; Opclor; Ophthochlor; Pantovernil; Paraxin; Quemicetina; Ronfenil; Septicol; Sintomicetina; Sno Phenicol; Stanomycetin; Synthomycetine; Tea-Cetin; Tevcocin; Tifomycine; Treomicetina; Unimycetin; Chloricol; Chlorocaps; Chlorocid; Chloronitrin; Chloroptic; Cidocetine; Ciplamycetin; Cloramfen; Cloramficin; Cloramicol; Clorocyn; Cloromissan; Cylphenicol; Duphenicol; Embacetin; Enicol; Enteromycetin; Farmicetina; Fenicol; Globenicol; Interomycetine; Intramycetin; Juvamycetin; Kamaver; Kemicetine; Klorita; Levomicetina; Levomycetin; Loromicetina; Myscel; Mycinol; Novomycetin; Chloromycetin; D-(-)-threo-1-(p-Nitrophenyl)-2-dichloroacetamido-1,3-propanediol; Chlormycetin R; Amphicol; Cloramical; Intramyctin; Leukomycin; Acetamide, 2,2-dichloro-N-[2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)-2-(4-nitrophenyl)ethyl]-, [R-(R*,R*)]-; CHLORAMPHENICOL CRYSTALLINE; Chlorsig; [ChemFinder]

Category

Pharmaceuticals

Description

Needles or elongated plates from water or ethylene dichloride; [HSDB]

Sources/Uses

Broad-spectrum antibiotic; [HSDB]

Comments

Allergic contact dermatitis reported in pharmaceutical workers; [Marks, p. 189-90] Chloramphenicol is an antibiotic, and many side effects have been reported after ingestion of therapeutic doses including, rarely, bone marrow suppression. [HSDB] The lowest dose to cause reversible bone marrow depression was 2000 mg/day for 21 days. While the reversible bone marrow depression is dose related, the rare aplastic anemia is not dose related and is thought to be an idiosyncratic reaction in susceptible individuals. IARC has noted cases of leukemia developing in patients suffering from chloramphenicol-induced aplastic anemia. Occupational allergic dermatitis reported in ophthalmologists and farmers using topical chloramphenicol solutions; No evidence of significant skin absorption; Toxic to embryos and fetuses in animal studies at 1000 mg/kg-day; [AIHA]

Biomedical References

0.5 mg/m3

Aplastic anemia

Yes

Probable (2a)

Anticipated human carcinogen

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent:

• Contact dermatitis, allergic