Sulfadoxine (also spelled sulphadoxine) is an ultra-long-lasting
sulfonamide
In organic chemistry, the sulfonamide functional group (also spelled sulphonamide) is an organosulfur group with the structure . It consists of a sulfonyl group () connected to an amine group (). Relatively speaking this group is unreactive. ...
used in
combination
In mathematics, a combination is a selection of items from a set that has distinct members, such that the order of selection does not matter (unlike permutations). For example, given three fruits, say an apple, an orange and a pear, there are th ...
with
pyrimethamine to treat
malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. ...
.
[Medical Treatment - Sulphadoxine and Pyrimethamine]
.
It is also used to prevent malaria but due to high levels of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance, this use has become less common.
It is also used, usually in combination with other drugs, to treat or prevent various infections in livestock.
Mechanism of action
Sulfadoxine competitively inhibits
dihydropteroate synthase
Dihydropteroate synthase is an enzyme classified under . It produces dihydropteroate in bacteria, but it is not expressed in most eukaryotes including humans. This makes it a useful target for sulfonamide antibiotics, which compete with the PA ...
, interfering with folate synthesis.
See also
*
Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine
Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine, sold under the brand name Fansidar, is a combination medication used to treat malaria. It contains sulfadoxine (a sulfonamide) and pyrimethamine (an antiprotozoal). For the treatment of malaria it is typically used a ...
References
Anilines
Ethers
Pyrimidines
Sulfonamide antibiotics
Dihydropteroate synthetase inhibitors
Antimalarial agents
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