Sulfalene

Oral
Malaria

Oral
Respiratory tract infections, Urinary tract infections

Oral:
Respiratory tract infections,Urinary tract infections: Dose reduction may be needed.

Oral:
Respiratory tract infections,Urinary tract infections: Dose reduction may be needed.

Severe renal or hepatic failure; blood disorders; hypersensitivity to sulfonamides; acute porphyria; SLE. Pregnancy (3rd trimester) and lactation; infants ≤2 mth.

Renal or hepatic impairment; history of allergy or asthma; AIDS; G6PD deficiency (at risk of haemolytic reactions); elderly; ensure adequate fluid intake to reduce risk of crystalluria. Discontinue if rash occurs.

Nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhoea, hypersensitivity reactions, SLE, serum sickness-like syndrome, liver necrosis and hepatomegaly, myocarditis, pulmonary eosinophilia and fibrosing alveolitis, vasculitis, hypoglycaemia, hypothyroidism, neurological reactions, jaundice and kernicterus in premature neonates. Pseudomembranous colitis.
Potentially Fatal: Blood dyscrasias, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, anaphylaxis.

Potentiates effects of oral anticoagulants, methotrexate, phenytoin. Increased risk of crystalluria with compounds that render the urine acidic.

Interference with tests for urea, creatinine, urinary glucose and urobilinogen.

Description:
Mechanism of Action: Sulfalene is a long-acting sulfonamide also known as sulfametopyrazine. It interferes with the synthesis of nucleic acids in sensitive organisms by blocking the conversion of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) to the co-enzyme dihydrofolic acid. Its action is bacteriostatic, although bactericidal effects may be exerted where concentrations of thymine are low in the surrounding medium.
Pharmacokinetics:
Absorption: Readily absorbed from GI tract.
Distribution: Protein binding: 60-80%.
Metabolism: 5% of dose metabolised to acetyl derivative.
Excretion: Excreted slowly via urine. Biological half life: 60-65 hr.

Sulphonamides