Clindamycin Hcl

Description

Clindamycin is a semisynthetic derivative of lincomycin and was introduced in the 1960s as an antibiotic. It is usually available as one of three salts: clindamycin phosphate, Clindamycin Hcl, or clindamycin nicotinamide. These salt forms are all prodrugs of clindamycin, but once inside the body or applied to the skin, they are rapidly converted to active clindamycin by hydrolysis. All three salt forms of clindamycin have the same antimicrobial spectrum and effectiveness.

Clindamycin phosphate salts are usually used for intravenous, intramuscular, and topical formulations of clindamycin. Clindamycin Hcl salts are usually used for oral forms of clindamycin, and clindamycin nicotinamide is another topical form of clindamycin.

Uses

Clindamycin is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. It is an antibiotic that works by stopping the growth of bacteria.This antibiotic treats only bacterial infections. It will not work for virus infections (such as common cold, flu). Using any antibiotic when it is not needed can cause it to not work for future infections.

Absorption

Pharmacokinetic studies with a 150 mg oral dose of Clindamycin Hcl in 24 normal adult volunteers showed that clindamycin was rapidly absorbed after oral administration. An average peak serum concentration of 2.50 mcg/mL was reached in 45 minutes; serum concentrations averaged 1.51 mcg/mL at 3 hours and 0.70 mcg/mL at 6 hours. Absorption of an oral dose is virtually complete (90%), and the concomitant administration of food does not appreciably modify the serum concentrations; serum concentrations have been uniform and predictable from person to person and dose to dose. Pharmacokinetic studies following multiple doses of Clindamycin Hcl for up to 14 days show no evidence of accumulation or altered metabolism of drug. Doses of up to 2 grams of clindamycin per day for 14 days have been well tolerated by healthy volunteers, except that the incidence of gastrointestinal side effects is greater with the higher doses.