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.
