Source: Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (GB) Revision Year: 2018 Publisher: Martindale Pharma, Bampton Road, Romford, RM3 8UG, United Kingdom
Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antibiotics for topical use.
AITC code: S01AA01
Chloramphenicol is a broad spectrum antibiotic which has activity against many types of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Chloramphenicol is not effective against fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
Acute bacterial conjunctivitis is commonly caused by staphylococci or streptococci in adults, and Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis (formerly known as Branhamella catarrhalis) particularly in children.
Chloramphenicol is effective against Gram-positive cocci including staphylococci such as Staph. epidermidis and some strains of Staph. aureus, and streptococci such as Str. pneumoniae, Str. pyogenes, and the viridans streptococci.
Gram-negative cocci such as Haemophilus influenzae are usually highly sensitive. Moraxella catarrhalis, a Gram-negative aerobic diplococcus frequently found as a commensal of the upper respiratory tract, is also highly sensitive.
Evidence suggests that chloramphenicol is absorbed systemically via topical ocular administration. Any chloramphenicol that is absorbed will be widely distributed in the body tissues and fluids. It is found in cerebrospinal fluid, is secreted in saliva, with the highest concentrations occurring in the kidneys and liver.
Chloramphenicol also diffuses across the placenta into the foetal circulation and into breast milk.
Chloramphenicol is excreted chiefly in the urine as the glucuronide with small amounts being excreted via the bile and faeces. It has a reported half life of 1.5 to 5 hours which is increased in patients with liver impairment and neonates to between 24 and 28 hours in the latter.
No additional data of relevance to the prescriber.
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