Allergic reactions to sulfonamide antibiotics, such as sulfamethoxazole in cotrimoxazole, are not simply due to the presence of sulfur. Instead, they arise from specific structural features within the molecule that predispose it to hypersensitivity. Indeed, it is the combination of the sulfonamide group + aromatic ring + arylamine substituent that confers hypersensitivity risk.
- The Sulfonamide Group (–SO₂NH–)
This functional group is a key structure that defines sulfonamides. In antibiotics, it is directly attached to an aromatic ring, which makes the compound more reactive and prone to forming metabolites that can trigger immune responses.
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The Aromatic . . .
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