sulfanitran

Sulfanitran is a synthetic sulfonamide antibiotic used primarily in the poultry industry as a feed additive to control coccidiosis, an intestinal disease caused by *Eimeria* species such as *E. tenella, E. necatrix*, and *E. acervulina*. It is included in veterinary products under the brand names Novastat, Polystat, and Unistat. As a member of the sulfonamide class, its mechanism of action involves competitive inhibition of bacterial dihydropteroate synthase—an enzyme essential for folic acid synthesis—thereby inhibiting DNA and RNA synthesis in susceptible organisms. This results in bacteriostatic activity rather than bactericidal effects. Sulfanitran is not approved for human use; its application is limited to veterinary medicine.

Brand names

NovastatPolystatUnistat

Other names

sulfanitranN4-Acetyl-N1-(para-nitrophenyl)sulfanilamideSulfanitranoSulfanitranum