Silver Sulfadiazine: Interaction with Isolated Deoxyribonucleic Acid

Abstract Silver sulfadiazine (AgSu) was found to interact with isolated deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to form nondissociable complexes. These complexes differ in physical and chemical properties from those that are established when silver nitrate is added to DNA. The reaction between AgSu and DNA is visualized as occurring in two stages: (i) a weak and reversible interaction (intercalation) between DNA and the sulfadiazine moiety and (ii) a tight binding involving the silver atom. In the first stage, sodium sulfadiazine competes with AgSu for the DNA.