chloramphenicol palmitate

Chloramphenicol palmitate is an orally bioavailable palmitate ester prodrug of the broad-spectrum antibiotic chloramphenicol. Originally developed by Parke-Davis in the 1950s to overcome the extremely bitter taste of the parent compound, chloramphenicol palmitate is bacteriologically inactive in vitro but is rapidly hydrolyzed by intestinal esterases in the small intestine to release active chloramphenicol. The released chloramphenicol exerts its antibacterial effect by reversibly binding to the 50S subunit of the bacterial ribosome, thereby inhibiting peptidyl transferase activity and blocking peptide bond formation during protein synthesis. This bacteriostatic action is effective against a wide range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including pathogens responsible for meningitis, typhoid fever, cholera, and rickettsial infections. Although oral formulations have been largely withdrawn in the United States and other industrialized nations due to the risk of fatal aplastic anemia, chloramphenicol palmitate remains an important therapeutic option in developing countries and is widely utilized in veterinary medicine.

Brand names

ChlorambonChlorexolChloromycetin PalmitateClorolifarinaDetreopalWelmycin

Other names

CAP-palmitatechloramphenicol alpha-palmitatechloramphenicol monopalmitatechloramphenicol α-palmitatechloramphenicoli palmitas