C H A P T E R 1 0
Antiviral agents
127
V
iruses
cause a variety of conditions, ranging from
warts, to the common cold and “flu”, to diseases such
as chickenpox and measles. A single virus particle is
composed of a piece of DNA or RNA inside a protein
coat. To carry on any metabolic processes, including
replication, a virus must enter a cell. Once a virus has
fused with a cell wall and injected its DNA or RNA
into the host cell, that cell is altered—that is, it is “pro-
grammed” to control the metabolic processes that the
virus needs to survive. The virus, including the protein
coat, replicates in the host cell (Figure 10.1). When the
host cell can no longer carry out its own metabolic func-
tions because of the viral invader, the host cell dies and
releases the new viruses into the body to invade other
cells.
Because viruses are contained inside human cells
while they are in the body, researchers have difficulty
developing effective drugs that destroy a virus without
harming the human host.
Interferons
(see Chapter 15)
are released by the host in response to viral invasion of a
cell and act to prevent the replication of that particular
virus. Some interferons that affect particular viruses can
AGENTS FOR INFLUENZA A AND
RESPIRATORY VIRUSES
amantadine
oseltamivir
ribavirin
zanamivir
AGENTS FOR HERPES VIRUS
AND CYTOMEGALOVIRUS
aciclovir
cidofovir
famciclovir
foscarnet
ganciclovir
valaciclovir
valganciclovir
AGENTS FOR HIV AND AIDS
Non-nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors
efavirenz
etravirine
nevirapine
rilpivirine
Nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors
abacavir
didanosine
emtricitabine
lamivudine
stavudine
tenofovir
zidovudine
Protease inhibitors
atazanavir
darunavir
fosamprenavir
indinavir
lopinavir
ritonavir
saquinavir
telaprevir
tipranavir
Fusion Inhibitor
enfuvirtide
CCR5 coreceptor antagonist
maraviroc
Integrase inhibitor
raltegravir
ANTIHEPATITIS B AGENTS
adefovir
entecavir
telbivudine
ANTIHEPATITIS C AGENTS
bocepevir
telaprevir
LOCALLY ACTIVE ANTIVIRAL
AGENTS
ganciclovir
imiquimod
Nucleus
Virus adheres to
cell surface
A
Virus enters by
pinocytosis
B
Virus sheds
coat
C
Replication of viral
nucleic acids
D
Synthesis of viral
protein of capsid
E
Assembly of
new virions
F
Release
G
DNA or RNA
Capsid
FIGURE 10.1
The stages in the replication cycle of a virus.
