Didanosine

Information about Didanosine

Didanosine is a purine nucleoside analogue and reverse transcriptase inhibitor that was previously widely used in combination with other agents in the therapy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the acquired immunodeficiency syndromes (AIDS).

Liver safety of Didanosine

Didanosine therapy is associated with an appreciable rate of serum enzyme elevations during therapy, and it is a well established cause of clinically apparent acute liver injury as well as mitochondrial injury to many organs which can be associated with severe liver injury, lactic acidosis and hepatic failure. Finally, long term therapy with didanosine can cause noncirrhotic portal hypertension due to hepatoportal sclerosis and nodular regenerative hyperplasia. Because of its many, potentially severe adverse events, didanosine has been largely replaced by better tolerated agents and is now rarely used.

Mechanism of action of Didanosine

Didanosine (dye dan' oh seen) is a synthetic nucleoside analogue of inosine (2’,3’-dideoxyinosine, ddI) that is converted intracellularly to dideoxyadenosine. Didanosine inhibits HIV replication by competing with naturally occurring adenosine for incorporation into the growing viral DNA chain, causing inhibition of the viral polymerase and chain termination.

FDA approval information for Didanosine

Didanosine is a first generation antiretroviral agent and Didanosine was approved for use in the United States in 1991. It was widely used for many years, but has now been replaced by better tolerated agents. Because of its relatively low cost, didanosine continues to be used in developing nations.

Didanosine is indicated for the treatment of HIV infection in combination with other antiretroviral agents.

Dosage and administration for Didanosine

Didanosine is available in generic forms and under the trade names Videx in 100 mg tablets and as extended release tablets of 125, 200, 250, and 400 mg, as well as in an oral powder for suspension (10 mg/mL). The recommended dose in adults is 250 to 400 mg orally daily.

Side effects of Didanosine

Common side effects include rash, abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, asthenia, headache, and fever.

Antiviral agents

Drugs for HIV Infection, in the Subclass Antiretroviral Agents

• Fusion Inhibitors (HIV)
  • Enfuvirtide, Maraviroc

• Integrase Inhibitors (HIV)
  • Dolutegravir, Elvitegravir, Raltegravir

• Monoclonal Antibodies
  • Ibalizumab

• Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (HIV)
  • Delavirdine, Efavirenz, Etravirine, Nevirapine, Rilpivirine

• Nucleoside Analogues (HIV)
  • Abacavir, Didanosine, Emtricitabine, Lamivudine, Stavudine, Tenofovir, Zidovudine

• Protease Inhibitors (HIV)
  • Amprenavir, Atazanavir, Darunavir, Fosamprenavir, Indinavir, Lopinavir, Nelfinavir,Ritonavir, Saquinavir, Tipranavir

Drugs for Hepatitis B

• • Alpha Interferon, Adefovir, Emtricitabine, Entecavir, Lamivudine, Telbivudine, Tenofovir

Drugs for Hepatitis C

• Interferon Based Therapies
  • Alpha Interferon and Peginterferon, Ribavirin

HCV NS5A Inhibitors

• Daclatasvir, Elbasvir, Ledipasvir, Ombitasvir, Pibrentasvir, Velpatasvir

HCV NS5B (Polymerase) Inhibitors

• Dasabuvir, Sofosbuvir

HCV Protease Inhibitors

• Asunaprevir, Boceprevir, Glecaprevir, Grazoprevir, Paritaprevir, Simeprevir, Telaprevir, Voxilaprevir

Combination Therapies

• Epclusa, Harvoni, Mavyret, Technive, Viekira Pak, Vosevi, Zepatier

Drugs for Herpes Virus Infections (HSV, CMV, others)

• Acyclovir, Cidofovir, Famciclovir, Foscarnet, Ganciclovir, Valacyclovir, Valganciclovir

Drugs for Influenza

• Amantadine, Oseltamivir, Peramivir, Rimantadine, Zanamivir

• Dailymed label info on Didanosine
• FDA Didanosine

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  Didanosin chemical structure

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  Didanosine ball-and-stick model