RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Reductive dechlorination of chloramphenicol by rat liver microsomes. JF Drug Metabolism and Disposition JO Drug Metab Dispos FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 126 OP 130 VO 11 IS 2 A1 P L Morris A1 T R Burke, Jr A1 L R Phol YR 1983 UL http://dmd.aspetjournals.org/content/11/2/126.abstract AB When chloramphenicol was incubated with rat liver microsomes anaerobically, it was metabolized predominantly to deschloro-chloramphenicol and products that become irreversibly bound to microsomal protein. Cytochromes P-450 induced by phenobarbital appeared to catalyze these reactions most effectively. Glutathione increased the formation of deschloro-chloramphenicol by 13% and decreased the amount of the irreversibly bound product by 18%, respectively. Only a small amount of the nitroaromatic-reduced product, chloramphenicol amine, was detected by high pressure liquid chromatography. These results are consistent with chloramphenicol being biotransformed and activated by cytochromes P-450 anaerobically through predominantly reductive dechlorination.