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 Chemical structure, structure . It consists of a sulfonyl group () connected to an amine group (). Relatively speaking this gro ...
used in
combination with
pyrimethamine to treat
malaria
Malaria is a Mosquito-borne disease, mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects vertebrates and ''Anopheles'' mosquitoes. Human malaria causes Signs and symptoms, symptoms that typically include fever, Fatigue (medical), fatigue, vomitin ...
.
[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, interfering with folate synthesis.
See also
*
Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine
References
4-Aminophenyl compounds
Ethers
Pyrimidines
Sulfonamide antibiotics
Dihydropteroate synthetase inhibitors
Antimalarial agents
{{antibiotic-stub