Antiviral agents
| Drug | Mechanism of action | Indications | Adverse effects/toxicity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aciclovir | Guanosine analog, phosphorylated by thymidine kinase which in turn inhibits the viral DNA polymerase | HSV, VZV | Crystalline nephropathy |
| Ganciclovir | Guanosine analog, phosphorylated by thymidine kinase which in turn inhibits the viral DNA polymerase | CMV | Myelosuppression/agranulocytosis |
| Ribavirin | Guanosine analog which inhibits inosine monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase, interferes with the capping of viral mRNA | Chronic hepatitis C, RSV | Haemolytic anaemia |
| Amantadine | Inhibits uncoating (M2 protein) of virus in cell. Also releases dopamine from nerve endings | Influenza, Parkinson's disease | Confusion, ataxia, slurred speech |
| Oseltamivir | Inhibits neuraminidase | Influenza | |
| Foscarnet | Pyrophosphate analog which inhibits viiral DNA polymerase | CMV, HSV if not responding to aciclovir | Nephrotoxicity, hypocalcaemia, hypomagnasaemia, seizures |
| Interferon-α | Human glycoproteins which inhibit synthesis of mRNA | Chronic hepatitis B & C, hairy cell leukaemia | Flu-like symptoms, anorexia, myelosuppression |
| Cidofovir | Acyclic nucleoside phosphonate, and is therefore independent of phosphorylation by viral enzymes (compare and contrast with aciclovir/ganciclovir) | CMV retinitis in HIV | Nephrotoxicity |
Anti-retroviral agent used in HIV
Nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI)
- examples: zidovudine (AZT), didanosine, lamivudine, stavudine, zalcitabine
Protease inhibitors (PI)
- inhibits a protease needed to make the virus able to survive outside the cell
- examples: indinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI)
- examples: nevirapine, efavirenz