Sulfanilamide is a synthetic bacteriostatic antibiotic from the sulfonamide drug class. This molecule consists of a sulfonamide functional group attached to an aniline. This drug is used to treat vulvovaginitis caused by Candida albicans even though it has a wide spectrum against most gram-positive and many gram-negative organisms. It acts by inhibiting the dihydropteroate synthase, an important enzyme in the synthesis of folic acid in bacteria. This enzyme uses para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) to synthesize dihydropteric acid, a substrate to do folic acid. When this reaction is inhibited, the bacteria cannot produce purine anymore, resulting in the inhibition of the replication. Sulfanilamide is administered as a vaginal cream, thus it is directly absorbed through the vaginal mucosa. Side effects of this treatment include itching, burning, redness, and swelling. Long-term use of this drug may result in cancer of the thyroid gland.

Sulfanilamide Pathway References