Chloramphenicol

Agent Name
Chloramphenicol
Alternative Name
Chloromycetin
CAS Number
56-75-7
Formula
C11-H12-Cl2-N2-O5
Major Category
Other Uses
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

Exposure Assessment

WEEL
0.5 mg/m3

Adverse Effects

Anemia
Aplastic anemia
Skin Sensitizer
Yes
IARC Carcinogen
Probable (2a)
NTP Carcinogen
Anticipated human carcinogen

Diseases, Processes, and Activities Linked to This Agent

Diseases

Occupational diseases associated with exposure to this agent: