Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are They?ExamplesSide EffectsInteractionsPrecautions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Are They?
Examples
Side Effects
Interactions
Precautions
Sulfonamides have a wide range of uses that include treating urinary tract infections (UTIs)and preventing or treating skin infections due to second- or third-degree burns.
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Understanding Sulfonamides
How Sulfonamides Work
Sulfonamide Uses
Sulfonamide antibiotics can be used to treat several bacterial infections, including:
Certain sulfonamides are also used to treat symptoms of inflammatory conditions, such asulcerative colitisandrheumatoid arthritis.
Examples of Sulfonamides
The following are examples of sulfonamidescurrently available in the United States:
Mafenide
Silver Sulfadiazine
Silver sulfadiazine (sold as the brand Silvadene) is another cream used to treat or prevent skin infections related to burns.As with Sulfamylon, silver sulfadiazine is applied once or twice daily after cleansing the burn wound.
Sulfacetamide
Sulfacetamide (brands include Klaron and Ovace) is available in several forms to treat different infections. It comes as a lotion you apply to your skin twice daily totreat acne.This medication also comes as an eye drop and ointment used to treat certain eye infections.
Sulfacetamide ointment is used to treatbacterial conjunctivitis, which is also known as pink eye. When using this ointment, you typically apply a small amount to the area between your eye and your lower eyelid every three to four hours and at bedtime. Your healthcare provider will prescribe your dosage based on the severity of your infection. In some cases, they may prescribe sulfacetamide eye ointment for use along with the eye drops.
Sulfacetamide eye drops can be used to treat conjunctivitis ortrachoma, which is a chlamydia infection in the eyes.
Sulfamethoxazole
Sulfamethoxazole (brands include Bactrim, Septra, and Sulfatrim) is available as a combination medication with another antibiotic called trimethoprim. Sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim comes in both generic and brand forms. Available brand names include:
Sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim is used to treat several types of bacterial infections, including:
Dosing for sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim is based on your condition and the form of the medication your healthcare provider prescribes.
Sulfasalazine
The dosage of sulfasalazine varies based on your age and the severity of your condition. In general, this medication is typically taken three to six times per day.
What Are the Side Effects of Sulfonamides?
Side effects can vary based on the type and form of sulfonamide medication you are using.
The following are general examples of potential sulfonamide side effects:
Sulfonamides used in the eyes or on the skin can also cause irritation.
Although rare, sulfonamides may also cause more serious side effects, such as severe skin reactions. These can include:
Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a serious reaction that affects the skin and mucous membranes, including the inside of your mouth and the lining of your airways. TEN is a more severe version of Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Symptoms of Stevens-Johnson syndrome or TEN may be mild at first, but they may become more serious if not treated. Initial symptoms include fever and other flu-like symptoms. After a few days, you may have more serious symptoms, such as:
Stevens-Johnson syndrome and TEN are both potentially life-threatening reactions that require emergency medical care. Be sure to seek immediate medical attention if you have symptoms of these reactions while taking a sulfonamide drug.
Examples of medications that can interact with sulfonamides include:
Keep in mind that interactions may differ between sulfonamides. Be sure to tell your healthcare provider all the medications you take before you start treatment with a sulfonamide. They can decide if sulfonamides are safe to take with your medications.
Sulfonamides may not be safe for everyone. They may worsen certain conditions or increase the risk of serious side effects. In some cases, sulfonamides may be used cautiously. For some people, it’s best to avoid certain sulfonamide drugs.
Before you start treatment with a sulfonamide,let your healthcare provider know if you have:
Sulfonamides also may not be safe to take if you have afolate deficiency(low vitamin B9 level). Certain factors can increase your risk of having a folate deficiency. These include:
It’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about your health history before you take any sulfonamides. Sulfonamide contraindications and precautions may differ between sulfonamide drugs. This means that one sulfonamide may not be safe to take if you have a certain condition, but a different one may be used with caution.
Your healthcare provider can help you decide which sulfonamides are a safe option for you.
Summary
Sulfonamides are a group of antibiotics used to treat or prevent a wide range of infections, including skin, eye, and ear infections. They can also treat other infections, such as UTIs, pneumonia, and traveler’s diarrhea.
It’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about all the medications you take and your health history before you start treatment with a sulfonamide drug. Certain medications and health conditions may negatively affect some sulfonamides. Talk with your healthcare provider if you want to learn more about sulfonamide drugs. They can help you decide whether these drugs are effective and safe for your condition.
15 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ovung A, Bhattacharyya J.Sulfonamide drugs: structure, antibacterial property, toxicity, and biophysical interactions.Biophys Rev. 2021;13(2):259-272. doi:10.1007/s12551-021-00795-9LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Sulfonamides.DailyMed. Label:Sulfasalazine tablet, delayed release.DailyMed.Label: Sulfasalazine tablet.Merck Manual Professional Version.Sulfonamides.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamylon- mafenide acetate cream.DailyMed.Label: Silver sulfadiazine cream.DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium ointment.DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium solution/drops.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim tablet.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim suspension.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim injection.MedlinePlus.Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Giles A, Foushee J, Lantz E, Gumina G.Sulfonamide allergies.Pharmacy (Basel). 2019;7(3):132. doi:10.3390/pharmacy7030132
15 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ovung A, Bhattacharyya J.Sulfonamide drugs: structure, antibacterial property, toxicity, and biophysical interactions.Biophys Rev. 2021;13(2):259-272. doi:10.1007/s12551-021-00795-9LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Sulfonamides.DailyMed. Label:Sulfasalazine tablet, delayed release.DailyMed.Label: Sulfasalazine tablet.Merck Manual Professional Version.Sulfonamides.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamylon- mafenide acetate cream.DailyMed.Label: Silver sulfadiazine cream.DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium ointment.DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium solution/drops.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim tablet.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim suspension.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim injection.MedlinePlus.Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Giles A, Foushee J, Lantz E, Gumina G.Sulfonamide allergies.Pharmacy (Basel). 2019;7(3):132. doi:10.3390/pharmacy7030132
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ovung A, Bhattacharyya J.Sulfonamide drugs: structure, antibacterial property, toxicity, and biophysical interactions.Biophys Rev. 2021;13(2):259-272. doi:10.1007/s12551-021-00795-9LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Sulfonamides.DailyMed. Label:Sulfasalazine tablet, delayed release.DailyMed.Label: Sulfasalazine tablet.Merck Manual Professional Version.Sulfonamides.U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamylon- mafenide acetate cream.DailyMed.Label: Silver sulfadiazine cream.DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium ointment.DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium solution/drops.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim tablet.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim suspension.DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim injection.MedlinePlus.Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.Giles A, Foushee J, Lantz E, Gumina G.Sulfonamide allergies.Pharmacy (Basel). 2019;7(3):132. doi:10.3390/pharmacy7030132
Ovung A, Bhattacharyya J.Sulfonamide drugs: structure, antibacterial property, toxicity, and biophysical interactions.Biophys Rev. 2021;13(2):259-272. doi:10.1007/s12551-021-00795-9
LiverTox: Clinical and Research Information on Drug-Induced Liver Injury: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Sulfonamides.
DailyMed. Label:Sulfasalazine tablet, delayed release.
DailyMed.Label: Sulfasalazine tablet.
Merck Manual Professional Version.Sulfonamides.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Orange book: approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence evaluations.
DailyMed.Label: Sulfamylon- mafenide acetate cream.
DailyMed.Label: Silver sulfadiazine cream.
DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium ointment.
DailyMed.Sulfacetamide sodium solution/drops.
DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim tablet.
DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim suspension.
DailyMed.Label: Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim injection.
MedlinePlus.Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Giles A, Foushee J, Lantz E, Gumina G.Sulfonamide allergies.Pharmacy (Basel). 2019;7(3):132. doi:10.3390/pharmacy7030132
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