Antiviral Drugs

Antiviral Agents that Prevent Virus Uncoating or Release

Antiviral DNA Synthesis Inhibitors
Nucleotide and Nonnucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Antiviral DrugsDr, Jawad Al-Musawi(2020)

Antimicrobial Drugs > Antiviral Drugs

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Antimicrobial Drugs > Antiviral Drugs

Drugs such as acyclovir, are nucleoside analogues that lack a free 3' group that is needed for the addition of the next nucleotide. When added into a growing DNA chain they stop its synthesis.
Another drug, foscarnet, mimics pyrophosphates and inactivates the activity of the viral DNA polymerase.
Resistance can develop against both of these groups of drugs.
Antiviral DNA Synthesis Inhibitors


Antimicrobial Drugs > Antiviral Drugs

Nucleoside and nucleotide inhibitors are competitive substrate inhibitors that mimic the structure of a normal nucleotide but lack the 3' hydroxyl group needed for the addition of the next nucleotide for DNA elongation.
Non-nucleotide inhibitors bind to a site different than the active one and cause rearrangements of the protein domains needed for DNA polymerization.
Mutations in the reverse transcriptase gene can cause resistance to both types of drugs.
Nucleotide and Nonnucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Antimicrobial Drugs > Antiviral Drugs

Protease inhibitors mimic peptides or are chemicals that can be inserted in the active site of a protease. They prevent it from binding the viral polyproteins.
Such drugs were one of the first to be used against HIV. They are an inseparable part of the HIV/AIDS therapy.
Mutations in the enzyme active site and other sites, which cause conformational changes, can cause resistance.
Protease Inhibitors

HIV protease with bound protease inhibitor

Antimicrobial Drugs > Antiviral Drugs

Key terms

CMV retinitis An inflammation of the eye's retina caused by CMV. It can lead to blindness.
competitive substrate inhibitors Molecules that bind to the active site of an enzyme and prevent the real substrate from binding to it.
cross-resistance Bacterial or viral resistance to a chemical which causes resistance to other chemicals of the same group.
non-competitive inhibitors Molecules that bind to sites other than the active site of an enzyme while still being able to indirectly inhibit its function.
nucleotide the monomer comprising DNA or RNA biopolymer molecules, consisting of a nitrogenous heterocyclic base; a five-carbon pentose sugar; and a phosphate group
sialic acid A derivative of neuraminic acid (a nine-carbon monosaccharide) that is often the sugar part of glycoproteins.


Antimicrobial Drugs

Structure (3D) of the Influenza Virus

The image depicts the major components of the virus structure, including the neuraminidase.

Antimicrobial Drugs

HIV protease with bound protease inhibitor

The drug is ritonavir depicted here with a white molecule in the middle of the enzyme structure.

Antimicrobial Drugs