Chloramphenicol - Formulations

Formulations

Chloramphenicol is available as 250 mg capsules or as a liquid (125 mg/5 mL). In some countries, it is sold as chloramphenicol palmitate ester (CPE). CPE is inactive, and is hydrolysed to active chloramphenicol in the small intestine. There is no difference in bioavailability between chloramphenicol and CPE.

Manufacture of oral chloramphenicol in the U.S. stopped in 1991, because the vast majority of chloramphenicol-associated cases of aplastic anaemia are associated with the oral preparation. There is now no oral formulation of chloramphenicol available in the U.S.

In molecular biology, chloramphenicol is prepared as 25–50 mg/mL stock in ethanol.