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🦠microbiology review

Sulfanilamide

Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025

Definition

Sulfanilamide is a synthetic antimicrobial agent that belongs to the sulfonamide group of drugs. It was one of the first antibiotics discovered and played a pivotal role in the development of antimicrobial chemotherapy.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Sulfanilamide was discovered in the 1930s and marked the beginning of modern antibiotic treatment.
  2. It works by inhibiting bacterial synthesis of folic acid, which is essential for DNA replication and cell division.
  3. Sulfanilamide was used extensively during World War II to treat wound infections in soldiers.
  4. Resistance to sulfanilamide can develop when bacteria acquire mutations that alter the drug's target enzyme or increase production of competing substrates.
  5. Although less commonly used today due to resistance and newer antibiotics, sulfanilamide laid the groundwork for the development of other sulfa drugs.

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