DHFR inhibitor (bacterial)
Bacterial dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor
- Bacterial-enzyme selectivity makes it an antibiotic
- Paired with a sulfonamide for sequential blockade of the same pathway
- Human folate largely spared
- Selective for the BACTERIAL enzyme; that selectivity is what makes it an antibiotic rather than a cytotoxic
- Paired with a sulfonamide for sequential blockade of the same folate pathway
- Human folate is largely spared, so leucovorin rescue is not the story here
Drugs with this mechanism (1)
- Trimethoprim — Antifolate antibiotic; paired with sulfamethoxazole, raises potassium/creatinine.
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