Protease inhibitors

Protease inhibitors

Protease inhibitors (pronunciation: proh-tee-ace in-hi-bit-ors) are a class of antiviral drugs that are commonly used to treat HIV and hepatitis C. Protease inhibitors prevent viral replication by inhibiting the activity of proteases, enzymes used by HIV and hepatitis C viruses to cleave viral polyprotein into individual functional proteins.

Etymology

The term "protease inhibitor" is derived from the words "protease", a type of enzyme that breaks down proteins, and "inhibitor", which refers to a substance that reduces or stops the activity of another substance.

Types of Protease Inhibitors

There are several types of protease inhibitors, including:

• HIV protease inhibitors: These are used in the treatment of HIV. Examples include ritonavir, lopinavir, and darunavir.
• Hepatitis C protease inhibitors: These are used in the treatment of hepatitis C. Examples include boceprevir, telaprevir, and simeprevir.

Related Terms

• Antiretroviral therapy: This is the treatment of viral infections, such as HIV, using antiviral drugs. Protease inhibitors are a key component of antiretroviral therapy.
• Enzyme inhibitor: This is a substance that binds to an enzyme and decreases its activity. Protease inhibitors are a type of enzyme inhibitor.
• Viral replication: This is the process by which a virus makes copies of itself. Protease inhibitors prevent viral replication by inhibiting the activity of proteases.

See Also

• Antiviral drug
• HIV
• Hepatitis C
• Ritonavir
• Lopinavir
• Darunavir
• Boceprevir
• Telaprevir
• Simeprevir
• Antiretroviral therapy
• Enzyme inhibitor
• Viral replication

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