Chloramphenicol

Chloramphenicol is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit and blocking peptide-bond formation.

Bacterial ribosome: The cellular machinery that translates messenger RNA into proteins in bacteria. Chloramphenicol acts on its large subunit during translation.
Typhoid fever: A systemic infection caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, usually transmitted through contaminated food or water. Chloramphenicol was once a major treatment, though resistance and toxicity limit its use.
Aplastic anemia: A rare disorder in which bone marrow fails to produce enough blood cells. Systemic chloramphenicol can rarely cause this severe, sometimes fatal reaction.
David Gottlieb: An American microbiologist whose research helped identify antibiotic-producing microorganisms. His group isolated the soil bacterium that produces chloramphenicol.
Tetracyclines: A class of antibiotics that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding the 30S ribosomal subunit. They act on the small subunit rather than chloramphenicol's 50S target.
50S ribosomal subunit: The large subunit of bacterial ribosomes, which catalyzes peptide-bond formation. Chloramphenicol binds in its peptidyl-transferase center.
Bacterial meningitis: An infection and inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Chloramphenicol can reach cerebrospinal fluid and has been used when alternatives are unsuitable.
Gray baby syndrome: A potentially fatal toxic reaction in newborns exposed to chloramphenicol, marked by cardiovascular collapse and gray discoloration. Immature drug metabolism allows chloramphenicol to accumulate in newborns.
Streptomyces venezuelae: A soil-dwelling bacterium that produces chloramphenicol and several other natural compounds. The antibiotic was first isolated from cultures of this species.
Clindamycin: A lincosamide antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding the 50S ribosomal subunit. It is a different 50S inhibitor that often offers an alternative for susceptible infections.

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