Sulfonamides : A Novel Approach For Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

N. P. Shukla

N. P. Shukla Biotechnology Application Centre, M. P. Council of Science and Technology, Bhopal - 462 003 (India)

ABSTRACT: The discovery of the sulphonamides marked the beginning of the chemotherapeutic era making possible a direct attack on microbial infections. Sulfonamides antibacterials, now in their fifth decade, continue to be used because they are effective, inexpensive and free of the superinfection problem of the broad spectrum abntibiotics. They have been quite safe even when widely used in ambututory patients, an application in which they are often preferred. After 40 years most of the original problems of toxicity have been taken care of and during the last three decades the sulfonamides have withstood critical evaluation along side the antibiotics, which have problem of their own. During this period active compounds with a vide range of choice in all the pertinent pharmacological properties and with lower toxicity have been synthesized and a wide spectrum of activity has been established. Thus, the activity of compounds acting as p-aminobenzoic acid antagonists extends from use against acute and chronic Gram negative Gram positive bacterial infections (Such as meningitis, intestinal tract infection or preoperative treatment of urinary tract infections and respiratory infections) through tuberculosis and leprosy to malaria and coccidiosis with certain structural specificities for each1-4,6,9,13,34,45,68,85,89,91. The mechanically related diamondiphenylfulfonae is the well established drug of choice. The antibacterial action of these agents is by way of interference with a bacterial biochemical reaction lacking in man and represents the first magic bullet the sense visualized by Ehrlich.

KEYWORDS: Sulfonamides; chemotherapy; antimicrobial activity

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