Can Bactrim help a yeast infection?
By
Dr Natalia Marceli Stephanes (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes PhD is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drugs Administration and Toxicity; Discovery of New Drugs; Cancer Treatment; Biochemical Analyzes and Hematological Analyzes. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes’ Highlights:
- Pharmacist at the Department of Health of Santa Catarina State, Brazil
- PhD with a focus on oncology treatment
- Years of experience in commercial pharmacy
- Bachelor, Master and PhD degrees in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina
Professional Experience:
From her undergraduate studies to her Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Pharmacy, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has participated in numerous scientific studies in the field of oncology and onco-hematology at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil. Her research has focused on understanding the molecular and biochemical bases of malignant neoplasms and investigating safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives.
Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes has also served as an assistant professor of haematology for undergraduate students at the Federal University of Santa Catarina. Additionally, she held the position of professor of Hospital Pharmacy at the Qualificar Technical School in Brazil, where she developed instructional materials for use in the Pharmacy Postgraduate Program at the Leonardo Da Vinci University Center.
In addition to her academic experiences, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes possesses a strong expertise in commercial pharmacy, with in-depth knowledge of medications, their routes of administration, desired effects, adverse effects, and toxicity.
Currently, Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes works as a Pharmacist at the Health Department of Santa Catarina State, where her role entails providing pharmaceutical scientific consulting services to judges.
Education:
- 2016 Bachelor in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2018 Master in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
- 2023 PhD in Pharmacy at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil
The main publications of Dr Natália Marcéli Stephanes are:
Falchetti M ; Delgobo M, Zancanaro H, Almeida K, Das Neves RN, Dos Santos B, Stefanes NM, et al. Bishop Omics-based identification of an NRF2-related auranofin resistance signature in cancer: Insights into drug repurposing. Comput. Biol. Med [Internet]. 2023; 152:106347.
Feuser PM, Matos dos Santos PC, Cordeiro AP, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Maioral MF, Santos-Silva MC, et al. Antineoplastic activity of free 4-nitrochalcone and encapsulated in poly(thioether-ester) nanoparticles obtained by thiol-ene polymerization in two human leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and K562). J Drug Deliv Sci Technol [Internet]. 2022; 67:102924.
Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Walter LO, Perondi DM, Efe FL, Souza LFS, Sens L, et al. Synthesis of chalcones derived from 1-naphthylacetophenone and evaluation of their cytotoxic and apoptotic effects in acute leukemia cell lines. Bioorg. Chem [Internet]. 2021; 116:105315.
Duarte BF, Vieira DSC, Lisboa ML, Stefanes NM, Grando LJ, Santos-Silva MC. Características clínico-epidemiológicas de pacientes portadores de carcinoma de células escamosas de boca. Arquivos Catarinenses de Medicina. 2021; 50(2): 232–245.
Machado V, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Santos-Silva MC, Biavatti MW. Anti-leukemic activity of semisynthetic derivatives of Lupeol. Nat. Prod. Res. 2021; 35(22):4494-4501.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Yunes RA, et al. A novel sulfonamide derivative as a strong and selective apoptotic agent against hematological malignancies. Chem. Pap. 2020; 74:2965–2976.
Bigolin A, Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Cytotoxic mechanisms of primin, a natural quinone isolated from Eugenia hiemalis, on hematological cancer cell lines. Anticancer Drugs. 2020; 31(7):709-717.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Neufeldt PD, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Nunes RJ, Santos-Silva MC. Aldehyde biphenyl chalcones induce immunogenic apoptotic-like cell death and are promising new safe compounds against a wide range of hematologic cancers. Future Med. Chem. 2020; 12(8):673–688.
Perondi DM, Jacques AV, Stefanes NM, Maioral MF, Sens L, Pacheco LA, Cury NM, et al. A novel thiosemicarbazone as a promising effective and selective compound for acute leukemia. Anticancer Drugs. 2019; 30(8):p 828-837.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Argenta DF, Dotto MER, Santos-Silva MC, et al. PEO-chitosan nanofibers containing carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanoparticles loaded with pyrazoline for skin cancer treatment. Eur. Polym. J. 2019; 119:335-343.
Rengifo AFC, Stefanes NM, Toigo J, Mendes C, Santos-Silva MC, Nunes RJ, Parize AL, et al. A new and efficient carboxymethyl-hexanoyl chitosan/dodecyl sulfate nanocarrier for a pyrazoline with antileukemic activity. Mater. Sci. Eng. C [Internet]. 2019; 105:110051.
Maioral MF, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Zatelli GA, Philippus AC, Falkenberg MB, Santos-Silva MC. Miconidine acetate, a new selective and cytotoxic compound with synergic potential, induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in leukemia cells. Invest. New Drugs. 2019; 37:912–922.
Srefanes NM, Toigo J, Maioral MF, Jacques AV, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Perondi DM, Ribeiro AAB, et al. Synthesis of novel pyrazoline derivatives and the evaluation of death mechanisms involved in their antileukemic activity. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2019; 27(2):375-382.
Maioral MF, Bodack CN, Stefanes NM, Bigolin A, Mascarello A, Chiaradia-Delatorre LD, Yunes RA, et al. Cytotoxic effect of a novel naphthylchalcone against multiple cancer cells focusing on hematologic malignancies. Biochim. 2017; 140:48-57.
You can view some of Dr Natália’s work below and links to her professional profile below.
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Natalia-Stephanes
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliamarceli/
Can Bactrim help a yeast infection?
No, Bactrim can’t help a yeast infection. Bactrim (Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim) is a combination antibiotic which is not active against a yeast infection, which is fungal in nature.
Not just Bactrim, any antibiotic will fail to work against fungal infections, such as yeast. Antibacterials only work against bacterial infections, just like antifungals work against fungal infections and antivirals work against viral infections.
If you think you have a yeast infection, talk to your healthcare provider. Your doctor will prescribe an appropriate medication to treat your symptoms. It is not recommended to take antimicrobials without your doctor’s approval.
How to treat a yeast infection?
Yeast infections are treated with antifungal medications. Usually, Fluconazole (Diflucan) is preferred for this kind of infection (1). For mild vaginal yeast infections, topical antifungal creams and ointments are also prescribed, which can treat the infection effectively.
Other antifungal medications like Clotrimazole, Miconazole, and Terconazole can also be used for yeast oral, skin, and nail infections (2). It’s best to talk to your doctor, who’ll examine your symptoms properly and will prescribe you a suitable medication.
Yeast infections can affect different areas of your body and treatment is suggested accordingly. Make sure you complete your antifungal course to get rid of your infection, for good.
How to know you have a yeast infection?
Yeast infections are characterised by the following signs and symptoms:
- Itching and irritation in the affected area
- Pain during urination or sex in case of vaginal thrush
- White discharge, which is usually odourless and resembles cottage cheese.
- Yeast infections in skin folds, such as the armpits, groin, or under the breasts, may cause a red, itchy rash.
- Sore throat and difficulty swallowing, in case of yeast infections in the mouth and throat
- Infection of the nails may cause the nails to become thick, discoloured, or brittle.
When is Bactrim the right choice of antibiotic?
Bactrim is generally prescribed for the management and treatment of the following (3):
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Ear infections
- Bronchitis and other respiratory tract infections
- Traveller’s diarrhoea
- Shigellosis (a type of bacterial infection that causes diarrhoea)
- Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) in people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV/AIDS or undergoing chemotherapy.
Make sure you only take Bactrim if prescribed by your healthcare provider.
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References
1.-
Treatment of vaginal candidiasis with a single oral dose of fluconazole. Multicentre Study Group. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 1988 Jun;7(3):364-7. doi: 10.1007/BF01962338. PMID: 2842157. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2842157/
2.-
de Oliveira Santos GC, Vasconcelos CC, Lopes AJO, de Sousa Cartágenes MDS, Filho AKDB, do Nascimento FRF, Ramos RM, Pires ERRB, de Andrade MS, Rocha FMG, de Andrade Monteiro C. Candida Infections and Therapeutic Strategies: Mechanisms of Action for Traditional and Alternative Agents. Front Microbiol. 2018 Jul 3;9:1351. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.01351. PMID: 30018595; PMCID: PMC6038711. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6038711/
3.-
Kemnic TR, Coleman M. Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole. 2022 Nov 28. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. PMID: 30020604. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK513232/
