Florfenicol

Florfenicol is a broad-spectrum fluorinated antibiotic and a derivative of thiamphenicol and analog of chloramphenicol. Florfenicol inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the A site of the 23S rRNA in the 50S subunit of the 70S ribosome, blocking peptidyl transferase activity, and thereby preventing peptide bond formation, which makes it effective against various bacteria. It is primarily used in veterinary medicine to treat respiratory infections in cattle and swine, and to prevent Salmonella infection in poultry. Although florfenicol is primarily known for its antimicrobial activity, it also shows immunomodulatory properties, including anti-inflammatory activity, downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, suppression of innate immune responses, affect lymphocyte proliferation and immunoglobulin production, and influence TLR expression in immune cells.