Clinical medicine profile
Thiamphenicol
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
- Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.
Precautions
- Do routine blood examination, change parenteral administration to oral therapy as soon as possible, impaired liver and kidney functions.
- Must not be used in the treatment of trivial infections.
- Plasma concentration monitoring required in neonates and preferred in those under 4 years of age, in the elderly, and in hepatic impairment
- recommended peak plasma concentration (approx. 1 hour after intravenous injection or infusion) 1525mg/litre
- pre-dose (trough') concentration should not exceed 15mg/litre.
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
Adult dose: 1.5g daily in divided doses. Children: 30-100mg/kg/day.
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- It is in general less active than chloramphenicol though reported to be equally effective and more actively bactericidal against Haemophilus and Neisseria ssp.
- Some strains resistant to chloramphenicol may be susceptible to thiamphenicol.Serious infections where less potentially dangerous medicines are ineffective or contraindicated e.g. typhoid and paratyphoid fever, infections due to H. influenzae.
Adverse effects
- Bone marrow depression, blood dyscrasias especially fatal aplastic anaemia, gray syndrome in premature and inborn babies, optic and peripheral neuritis, GI disturbances, super-infection, hypersensitivity reactions.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- Professional use: confirm indication, dose, duration, monitoring and patient counselling points against current Kenya STG / EML and the product SmPC.
- Document allergy status and key interactions.
Mechanism & disposition
Mechanism is agent-specific.
Read complete mechanism
Mechanism is agent-specific. At receptor, enzyme, ion channel, transporter or microbial target level, the drug alters a physiological or pathological pathway to produce its therapeutic effect. Confirm precise molecular mechanism in current SmPC / pharmacology reference for this INN before high-stakes decisions.
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| No reviewed brand listings are linked yet. | |||
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.