Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Sulfathiazole

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Overview

Sulfathiazole is an organosulfur compound used as a short-acting sulfa drug. It is an organic compound. Formerly, it was a common oral and topical antimicrobial, until less toxic alternatives were discovered. It is still occasionally used, sometimes in combination with sulfabenzamide and sulfacetamide, and in aquariums.

It exists in various forms (polymorphs). The imide tautomer is dominant, at least in the solid state. In this tautomer, the proton resides on the ring nitrogen, not the structure shown above.[1]

Cultural references

Cultural references

Sulfathiazole is mentioned in chapter 104 of Kurt Vonnegut‘s novel Cat’s Cradle and New Dictonary, and several of his short stories. Thoma Heggen‘s 1946 novel Mister Roberts mentions the use of sulfathiazole to treat gonorrhea, and Sonya Dorman’s short story When I was Miss Dow in 1966. Also the 1998 movie Dead Heat mentions the chemical as a drug used with reanimation of dead bodies.

Sulfathiazole is mentioned in “The World According To Garp” in chapter 1 where Garps mother winesses it being dispensed to WWII soldiers.

References

References

  1. G. J. Kruger and G. Gafner “The crystal structure of sulphathiazole II” Acta Cryst. (1971). B27, 326-333.doi:10.1107/S0567740871002176

Template:Sulfonamides and trimethoprim

Looking for the patient version?

Back to the patient-friendly article

© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH