Bactrim® DS (
sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim) is a prescription antibiotic approved to treat a variety of different infections. In addition to treating infections, it is approved to prevent one particular infection,
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, in people with a weakened immune system.
The "DS" stands for "double strength." Bactrim DS contains exactly twice as much of the active ingredients as regular Bactrim. There are no other important differences between these two forms. Taking two regular
Bactrim tablets is the same as taking one Bactrim DS tablet.
(Click Bactrim Uses for more information on what this medication is used for, including possible off-label uses.)
Brand-name Bactrim DS is manufactured by Mutual Pharmaceutical Company, Inc. and is marketed and distributed by AR Scientific. Generic versions are made by different manufacturers.
Bactrim DS contains two different antibiotic medications: sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim.
Combining these two antibiotics increases their effectiveness and decreases the chance of antibiotic resistance (when bacteria develop the ability to resist antibiotics).
Sulfamethoxazole belongs to a group of drugs known as sulfonamides ("sulfa" drugs). Trimethoprim does not belong to a specific class of medications. These two antibiotics work in different but similar ways. Essentially, both work by inhibiting the production of
folic acid in bacteria, although they work in different stages of folic acid production. Folic acid is important for making proteins and DNA. Because humans obtain folic acid from the diet (and bacteria cannot), human cells are less affected by Bactrim DS.
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