sulfathiazole

Sulfathiazole is a synthetic organosulfur compound classified as a short-acting sulfonamide (sulfa drug). It was formerly widely used as an oral and topical antimicrobial agent for the treatment of infections caused by a broad range of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Its mechanism of action involves competitive inhibition of the bacterial enzyme dihydropteroate synthase, thereby blocking the conversion of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) to dihydrofolic acid, which is essential for bacterial nucleic acid synthesis[1][2][3]. Due to its toxicity profile and the availability of safer alternatives, sulfathiazole has been largely withdrawn from human use in many countries but may still be used in veterinary medicine or in combination with other sulfonamides[2][4].

Other names

2-sulfanilamidothiazole4-aminobenzenesulfonamido-1,3-thiazole