adm@cbneb.UUCP (10/17/84)
Anyone ever hear of the antibiotic called trimethroprim-sulfamethoxasole, also known as TMP-SMZ? I am acting as a reluctant host to an infection (probably bacterial, but possibly viral - I don't know) that has become immune to tetracycline, keflex, and a host of other antibiotics because they don't concentrate well in the infected area. I think TMP-SMZ is a new antibiotic. I'd interested in any information, especially contra-indications, you may know of.
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA (Steve Dyer) (10/20/84)
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole is not a new antibiotic, but a combination of
a common sulfa drug (sulfamethoxazole--Gantanol) and a rather interesting
folic acid inhibitor, trimethoprim. Together, they work synergistically to
inhibit bacterial growth by interfering with their metabolic pathways.
Bacterial resistence generally develops rapidly to either drug when given
alone, but together, the combination has remained pretty potent. Both
drugs are relatively non-toxic to humans, relative to bacteria --
trimethoprim does not interfere with human folic acid metabolism to the
degree that it affects bacteria, and sulfa drugs act as PABA antagonists,
a compound which does not figure prominently in human metabolism.
Your doctor should be able to give you any special instructions about
contraindications and warnings. It is generally a good idea to drink a
lot of water when taking sulfa drugs, because of their relative insolubility
in human urine, even though the combination allows much lower total doses
of the sulfa drug.
--
/Steve Dyer
{decvax,linus,ima,ihnp4}!bbncca!sdyer
sdyer@bbncca.ARPA