home > drugs a-z list > silvadene (silver sulfadiazine) drug center > silvadene (silver sulfadiazine) drug - clinical pharmacology

Recommended Topic Related To:

Silvadene

Introduction to burns

The skin has an important role to play in the fluid and temperature regulation of the body. If enough skin area is injured, the ability to maintain that control can be lost. The skin also acts as a protective barrier against the bacteria and viruses that inhabit the world outside the body.

The anatomy of the skin is complex, and there are many structures within the layers of the skin. There are three layers:

  1. Epidermis, the outer layer of the skin
  2. Dermis, made up of collagen and elastic fibers and where nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands, and hair follicles reside.
  3. Hypodermis or subcutaneous tissue, where larger blood vessels and nerves are located. This is the layer of tissue that is most important in temperature regulation.

The amount of damage that a burn can cause depends upon its location, its depth, and how much body surface area that it involves.

...

Silvadene

font size

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Silver sulfadiazine has broad antimicrobial activity. It is bactericidal for many gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria as well as being effective against yeast. Results from in vitro testing are listed below.

Sufficient data have been obtained to demonstrate that silver sulfadiazine will inhibit bacteria that are resistant to other antimicrobial agents and that the compound is superior to sulfadiazine.

Studies utilizing radioactive micronized silver sulfadiazine, electron microscopy, and biochemical techniques have revealed that the mechanism of action of silver sulfadiazine on bacteria differs from silver nitrate and sodium sulfadiazine. Silver sulfadiazine acts only on the cell membrane and cell wall to produce its bactericidal effect.

Results of In Vitro Testing with SILVADENE® Cream 1% (silver sulfadiazine) Concentration of Silver Sulfadiazine Number of Sensitive Strains/Total Number of Strains Tested

Genus & Species 50 µg/mL 100 µg/mL
Pseudomonas aeruginosa 130/130 130/130
Xanthomonas (Pseudomonas) maltophilia 7/7 7/7
Enterobacter species 48/50 50/50
Enterobacter cloacae 24/24 24/24
Klebsiella species 53/54 54/54
Escherichia coli 63/63 63/63
Serratia species 27/28 28/28
Proteus mirabilis 53/53 53/53
Morganella morganii 10/10 10/10
Providencia rettgeri 2/2 2/2
Providencia species 1/1 1/1
Proteus vulgaris 2/2 2/2
Citrobacter species 10/10 10/10
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus 10/11 11/11
Staphylococcus aureus 100/101 100/101
Staphylococcus epidermidis 51/51 51/51
β-Hemolytic Streptococcus 4/4 4/4
Enterococcus species 52/53 53/53
Corynebacterium- diphtheriae 2/2 2/2
Clostridium perfringens 0/2 2/2
Candida albicans 43/50 50/50

Silver sulfadiazine is not a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor and may be useful in situations where such agents are contraindicated.

Last reviewed on RxList: 5/29/2008
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.

Silvadene - User Reviews

Silvadene User Reviews

Now you can gain knowledge and insight about a drug treatment with Patient Discussions.

Here is a collection of user reviews for the medication Silvadene sorted by most helpful. Patient Discussions FAQs

Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

 

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.


Women's Health

Find out what women really need.