title: Modification of the colorimetric assay for chloramphenicol in the presence of bilirubin.
abstract: We recently found that bilirubin interferes with the colorimetric chloramphenicol assay of Kakemi et al. (K. T. Kakemi, T. Arita, and S. Ohashi, Yakugaku Zasshi 82:342-345, 1962). Levels of serum bilirubin alone (4 to 6 mg/dl) resulted in apparent concentrations of chloramphenicol which appear to be in the therapeutic range. Concentrations of serum bilirubin greater than 8 mg/dl resulted in levels of apparent chloramphenicol associated with toxicity (>50 mug/ml). Small amounts of activated charcoal added to the isoamyl acetate extraction step of the assay eliminated this interference by bilirubin.
mesh_terms: D001663:Bilirubin / Q000097:blood*; D002606:Charcoal; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008722:Methods; D013053:Spectrophotometry
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D001663:Bilirubin