Sulfadiazine


Sulfadiazine is an antibiotic. Used together with pyrimethamine, it is the treatment of choice for toxoplasmosis. It is a second-line treatment for otitis media, prevention of rheumatic fever, chancroid, chlamydia, and infections by Haemophilus influenzae. It is taken by mouth.
Common side effects include nausea, diarrhea, headache, fever, rash, depression, and pancreatitis. It should not be used in people who have severe liver problems, kidney problems, or porphyria. If used during pregnancy, it may increase the risk of kernicterus in the baby. While the company that makes it does not recommend use during breastfeeding, use is believed to be safe if the baby is otherwise healthy. It is in the sulfonamide class of medications.
Sulfadiazine was approved for medical use in the United States in 1941. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system. Sulfadiazine is available as a generic medication. The wholesale cost in the developing world is about US$2.70 to 7.32 a month. In the United States, treatment costs more than $200 per month.

Medical uses

It eliminates bacteria that cause infections by stopping the production of folate inside the bacterial cell, and is commonly used to treat urinary tract infections and burns.
In combination, sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine can be used to treat toxoplasmosis, the disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii.

Mechanism of action

Sulfadiazine works by inhibiting the enzyme dihydropteroate synthetase.

Side effects

Side effects reported for sulfadiazine include nausea, loss of appetite, and dizziness.

Brand names

This drug is sold branded as Lantrisul, Neotrizine, Sulfa-Triple #2, Sulfadiazine, Sulfaloid, Sulfonamides Duplex, Sulfose, Terfonyl, Triple Sulfa, Triple Sulfas, and Triple Sulfoid.