Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors

Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs), pronounced as noo-klee-oh-side re-verse tran-skript-ase in-hi-bit-ors, are a class of antiretroviral drugs used to treat HIV and Hepatitis B. The term originates from the function of the drug, which inhibits the action of an enzyme called reverse transcriptase that is crucial for the replication of these viruses.

Mechanism of Action

NRTIs work by inhibiting the action of reverse transcriptase, an enzyme that HIV and Hepatitis B viruses use to replicate their genetic material. By doing so, they prevent the virus from multiplying, thereby reducing the amount of virus in the body.

Examples

Examples of NRTIs include Zidovudine (AZT), Lamivudine (3TC), Abacavir (ABC), Didanosine (ddI), Emtricitabine (FTC), and Tenofovir (TDF). These drugs are often used in combination with each other or with other types of antiretroviral drugs to increase their effectiveness.

Side Effects

Common side effects of NRTIs can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue. Long-term use of some NRTIs can lead to more serious side effects such as lactic acidosis, lipodystrophy, and peripheral neuropathy.

History

The first NRTI, Zidovudine, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1987. Since then, several other NRTIs have been developed and approved for use.

See Also

• Antiretroviral therapy
• Protease inhibitors
• Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
• Integrase inhibitors

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