sulfonamide

sulfonamide

 [sul-fon´ah-mīd]

1. a compound containing the -SO₂NH₂ group.

2. any of a group of structurally related antibiotics that competitively inhibit folic acid synthesis in microorganisms and formerly were bacteriostatic against a wide variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and some protozoa. Because many microbes are now resistant, sulfonamides have largely been supplanted by more effective and less toxic antibiotics. Called also sulfa drug.

sulfonamide

/sul·fon·amide/ (sul-fon´ah-mīd) a compound containing the sbondSO2NH2 group. The sulfonamides, or sulfa drugs, are derivatives of sulfanilamide, competitively inhibit folic acid synthesis in microorganisms, and formerly were bacteriostatic against a wide variety of bacteria and some protozoa. Because many microbes are now resistant, sulfonamides have largely been supplanted by more effective and less toxic antibiotics.

sulfonamide

(sŭl-fŏn′ə-mīd′, -mĭd)

n.

1. Any of a group of organic sulfur compounds containing the radical SO₂NH₂ and including the sulfa drugs.

2. See sulfa drug.

sulfonamide

[səlfon′əmīd]

originally one of a large group of synthetic bacteriostatic drugs that are effective in treating infections caused by many gram-negative and gram-positive microorganisms. They are bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal. Some sulfonamides are short-acting, some are intermediate-acting, and some are long-acting, depending on the speed with which they are excreted. They are used in treating many urinary tract infections. A variety of other types of drugs have since been developed that are sulfonamide derivatives, including thiazide diuretics and some of the oral hypoglycemics. Some people are hypersensitive to the sulfonamides. Sulfonamides are given with caution to people who have impaired liver or kidney function, and they are not given in the last trimester of pregnancy or to young infants, because mental retardation sometimes can result. Hemolytic anemia; agranulocytosis; thrombocytopenia; or aplastic anemia, drug fever, and jaundice may occur, particularly with long-acting sulfonamides given for more than 10 days. Most sulfonamides are given orally.

Sulfonamide

A sulfa drug, one of a large group of drugs used to treat bacterial infections.

Mentioned in: Serum Sickness

sulfonamide 

Denotes a group of organic derivatives containing SO₂ NH₂. Example: sulfacetamide sodium.

sulfonamide (sulfon´əmīd),

n a derivative of sulfanilamide that is effective against microorganisms.

sulfonamide

1. any compound containing the −SO₂NH₂ group.

2. any of a group of drugs that are derivatives of sulfanilamide, which competitively inhibit folic acid synthesis in microorganisms, and are bacteriostatic against gram-positive cocci (streptococci and pneumococci), gram-negative cocci (meningococci and gonococci), gram-negative bacilli (Escherichia coli and shigellae), and a wide variety of other bacteria. Sulfonamides have been supplanted by more effective and less toxic antibiotics in most uses. Called also sulfa drugs.