Observations on the Absorption, Excretion, Diffusion, and Acetylation of Sulfadiazine in Man *

Studies by Feinstone, Williams, Wolff, Huntington, and Crossley4 on the toxicity, absorption, and chemotherapeutic activity of this compound in mice, dogs, and monkeys indicate that it exhibits less acute and chronic toxicity than either sulfapyridine or sulfathiazole. In addition, these investigators found sulfadiazine to be readily absorbed, eliminated comparatively slowly, and acetylated to only a small degree. Another finding worthy of note was the high solubility of acetyl sulfadiazine in urine as compared with the solubility of the acetyl derivatives of sulfapyridine and sulfathiazole. A high therapeutic activity in experimental pneumococcal, streptococcal, staphylococcal, and Friedlander's bacillus B infections in mice was demonstrated. Since it becomes important to determine in man the pharmaco-