Clinical data | |
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Trade names | Silvadene |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a682598 |
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Routes of administration |
Topical |
ATC code | |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | <1% (silver), 10% (sulfadiazine) |
Protein binding | High (silver) |
Excretion | 2/3 renal (sulfadiazine) |
Identifiers | |
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Synonyms | (4-Amino-N-2-pyrimidinylbenzenesulfonamidato-NN,01)-silver, sulfadiazine silver, silver (I) sulfadiazine, 4-amino-N-(2-pyrimidinyl)benzenesulfonamide silver salt |
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ChEMBL | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.040.743 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C10H9AgN4O2S |
Molar mass | 357.14 g/mol |
3D model (Jmol) | |
Melting point | 285 °C (545 °F) |
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(what is this?) |
Silver sulfadiazine, sold under the brand Silvadene among others, is a topical antibiotic used in partial thickness and full thickness burns to prevent infection. Tentative evidence has found other antibiotics to be more effective and therefore it is no longer generally recommended.
Common side effects include itching and pain at the site of use. Other side effects include low white blood cell levels, allergic reactions, bluish grey discoloration of the skin, red blood cell breakdown, or liver inflammation. Caution should be used in those allergic to other sulfonamides. It should not be used in pregnant women who are close to delivery. Silver sulfadiazine is not recommended in children less than two months.
Silver sulfadiazine was discovered in the 1960s. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. It is available as a generic medication. In the developing world the wholesale cost is between 0.004 and 0.072 USD per gram. In the United States a course of treatment is generally 25 to 50 USD.
Tentative evidence has found other antibiotics to be more effective and therefore it is no longer generally recommended. A Cochrane review from 2013 found that most of the trials had methodological shortcomings and thus are of little use. Another Cochrane systematic review from 2010 concluded, "There is insufficient evidence to establish whether silver-containing dressings or topical agents promote wound healing or prevent wound infection". Other reviews of the evidence have also concluded, "[the] quality of the trials was limited". Cochrane has raised concerns about delays in time to wound healing when SSD is used.