This page is material from a 1990s investigation and campaign in The Sunday Times of London over the risks of an antibiotic with many names, such as Bactrim, Septra, Septrin, Sulfatrim, and co-trimoxazole

Bactrim

Below is the technical description of Bactrim, the dominant brand of sulfamethoxazole-trimpethoprim, from the Physicians’ Desk Reference, 2002 edition. Bactrim could not be found in the 2003 edition.

BACTRIM

Brand of trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole

DS (double strength) TABLETS, TABLETS AND PEDIATRIC SUSPENSION

DESCRIPTION

Bactrim (trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole) is a synthetic antibacterial combination product available in DS (double strength) tablets, tablets and pediatric suspension for oral administration. Each DS tablet contains 160mg trimethoprim and 800mg sulfamethoxazole plus magnesium stearate, pregelatinized starch and sodium starch glycolate. Each tablet contains 80mg trimethoprim and 400mg sulfamethoxazole plus magnesium stearate, pregelatinized starch and sodium starch glycolate, FD&C Blue No. 1 lake, FD&C Yellow No. 6 lake and D&C Yellow No. 10 lake. Each teaspoonful (5mL) of the pediatric suspension contains 40mg trimethoprim and 200mg sulfamethoxazole in a vehicle containing 0.3 percent alcohol, edetate disodium, glycerin, microcrystalline cellulose, parabens (methyl and propyl), polysorbate 80, saccharine sodium, simethicone, sorbitol, sucrose, FD&C Yellow No. 6 FD&C Red No. 40, flavors and water.

Trimethoprim is 2,4-diamino-5-(3,4,5 trimethoxybenzyl)pyrimidine; the molecular formula is C14 H16 N4 O3. It is a white to light yellow, odorless, bitter compound with a molecular weight of 290.3.

Sulfamethoxazole is N1-(5-methyl-3-isoxazolyl)sulfanilamide. the molecular formula is C10 H11 N3 O3 S. It is almost white, odorless, tasteless compound with a molecular weight of 253.28.

Bactrim information from Physicians’ Desk Reference (2002 edition)

RELATED:

Bactrim – Septra: a secret epidemic

Chronology of a newspaper campaign

The many faces of Bactrim and Septra

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