Absorption and Dissolution Characteristics of 14 Different Oral Chloramphenicol Preparations Tested on Healthy Human Male Subjects

Abstract

The absorption and dissolution char acteristics of 14 different commercial oral chlor amphenicol preparations tested on 18 healthy male subjects were investigated. Each preparation was given in single oral doses of 1 g pure chloramphe nicol to 4 subjects and 3 preparations were tested on each subject with 1–2-week intervals between each. Considerable differences in apparent absorption rate and peak serum concentrations of chloramphenicol were detected both within the capsule, the tablet and the suspension groups of preparations. These differences are assumed as being mainly due to different physiological availability of the preparations in all three dosage forms. Data from parallel in vitro dissolution studies (capsules and tablets) as well as enzymatic hydrolysis studies (suspensions) could be correlated to the apparent rate of absorption as judged from serum concentration values. The importance of developing in vitro methods capable of reflecting the absorption rate in man is stressed.