title: Effects of sulfonylurea compounds on Pneumocystis carinii.
abstract: Two sulfonylurea compounds, carbutamide and tolbutamide, were studied for efficacy against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonitis in the corticosteroid-treated rat model and compared with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMZ). The chemical structures of these sulfonylureas are identical except that an amino group in carbutamide is replaced with a methyl group in tolbutamide. Carbutamide was totally effective in the prevention and treatment of P. carinii pneumonitis in dosages of 100 and 200 mg/kg per day. The carbutamide dosage of 50 mg/kg per day prevented the infection in 90% of animals, whereas tolbutamide in the same dosage permitted infection in 100% of animals. This study shows that carbutamide is at least as effective as TMP-SMZ in the treatment and prevention of murine P. carinii pneumonitis. The presence of an amino group in the para position on the benezene ring is a determinant for this activity.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002271:Carbutamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014044:Tolbutamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D014044:Tolbutamide; D014295:Trimethoprim; D002271:Carbutamide; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole