CLINICAL USE OF SULFAMETHYLTHIAZOLE

Abstract

Since the introduction of chemotherapeutic agents effective in the treatment of streptococcic and pneumococcic infections, efforts have been made to improve on these agents and to develop a compound equally effective against infections caused by staphylococci. Sulfathiazole (2-sulfanilamidothiazole) and sulfamethylthiazole (2-sulfanilamido-4-methylthiazole) have shown promise in this direction. Sulfamethylthiazole is a white amorphous powder which is less soluble than sulfanilamide, sulfapyridine or sulfathiazole. Sulfamethylthiazole (together with sulfathiazole) was first synthesized in August 1939 by Fosbinder and Walter,¹ who also reported its effectiveness against streptococci and pneumococci. Lawrence² found sulfathiazole and sulfamethylthiazole to be superior to sulfanilamide in their bacteriostatic effect against Lancefield group A Streptococcus haemolyticus and against the colon-typhoid-dysentery group. Barlow and Homburger³ reported that in experimentally produced infections with Str. haemolyticus and Pneumococcus types I, II and III the effect of thiazole derivatives of sulfanilamide was definitely superior to that of the parent substance and compared