Viruses are the ultimate expression of parasitism: they not only take nutrition from the host cell but also direct its metabolic machinery to synthesize new virus particles.
ANTIVIRAL DRUGS
Viruses are the
ultimate expression of parasitism: they not only take nutrition from the host
cell but also direct its metabolic machinery to synthesize new virus particles.
Viral chemotherapy, therefore, is difficult, as it would require interference
with cellular metabolism in the host. However, virus directed enzymes have been
identified in the infected cell and some viruses have few enzymes of their own
which may have higher affinities for some antimetabolites or inhibitors than
the regular cellular enzymes. Drugs could also target virus specific steps like
cell penetration, uncoating, reverse transcription, virus assembly or
maturation. Another stumbling block is that in majority of acute infections
viral replication is already at its peak when symptoms appear. To be effective,
therefore, therapy has to be started in the incubation period, i.e. has to be
prophylactic.
Classification
1. Anti-Herpes
virus
Idoxuridine,
Acyclovir, Valacyclovir, Famciclovir, Ganciclovir*, Foscarnet*
2. Anti-Retrovirus
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIS): Zidovudine (AZT), Didanosine, Zalcitabine*,
Stavudine, Lamivudine, Abacavir
Nonnucleoside
Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIS):
Nevirapine, Efavirenz, Delavirdine*
Protease
Inhibitors: Ritonavir, Indinavir,
Nelfinavir, Saquinavir, Amprenavir*, Lopinavir
3. Anti-Influenza
Virus
Amantadine,
Rimantadine*
4. Nonselective Antiviral Drugs
Ribavirin, Lamivudine,
Adefovir dipivoxil, Interferon α
* Not yet marketed in
India.
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