On the diffusion of chloramphenicol from oleaginous ointment bases

The rate of diffusion of chloramphenicol from oleaginous ointment bases was investigated. It was found that the rate of diffusion of the drug from beeswax is markedly higher than that from hard paraffin. Cetrimide, whether present in the waxy base or in the aqueous diffusion medium, enhances markedly the rate of diffusion of chloramphenicol. The effect of cetrimide is, however, more pronounced in the case of hard paraffin. Incorporation of triolein in the waxy bases markedly increases the diffusion of the drug. This was correlated to changes in certain rheological parameters of the bases in presence of triolein.