Antiviral Classification

Abstract

Over the past 60 years, more than 100 antiviral drugs or their combinations have been approved for clinical use. Antiviral drugs can be classified according to their chemical nature (e.g., small-molecules, peptides, biologics) or mechanisms of drug actions against specific viral proteins (e.g., polymerase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, glycoprotein inhibitors). This article provides an overview of antiviral classifications in 10 important human viruses: hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), variola virus (human smallpox), varicella zoster virus (VZV), influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

Brain antioxidants and hippocampal microanatomical alterations following the administration of Efavirenz/Lamivudine/Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and Lamivudine/Nevirapine/Zidovudine in adult male Wistar rats

“…Antiretroviral therapy used in the management of HIV/AIDS was approved by the United States’ Food and Drug Agency (FDA) in 1987 and have saved lives, and which was similarly introduced in Nigeria in 2002 ( National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), 2021 ; World Health Organization, 2021 ). HAART is the combination of the three ARTs, having greater efficacy in treating HIV/AIDS and are classified into nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), protease inhibitors (PIs), intergrase inhibitors, fusion inhibitors and chemokine receptor and antagonist (CCR5 anatgonist), which is according to the phase of retroviral cycle that they inhibit ( Saag et al, 2020 , Li et al, 2021 , Eggleton and Nagalli, 2021 ).…”

Antivirals for Broader Coverage against Human Coronaviruses

“…Antivirals are a class of small molecules that are designed to specifically target and interfere with viral replication by targeting key stages in the viral life cycle, such as viral attachment, uncoating, genome replication/translation or budding [ 103 , 104 , 105 ]. Antivirals target many mechanisms that target viral enzymes, such as proteases, polymerases or integrases, or they may be able to target viral surface membrane proteins, such as envelope or glycoproteins, the aim being to indirectly hinder the particular viral functions by allosterically altering enzymatic active sites and interrupting replication [ 106 , 107 ]. Some antivirals are designed without a 3′ hydroxyl group, which blocks the viral chain and prevents DNA/RNA synthesis and elongation [ 108 ].…”

Antivirals and Biologics for Broader Coverage Against Human Coronaviruses

“…Antivirals are a class of small molecules that are designed to specifically target and interfere with viral replication by targeting key stages in the viral life cycle, such as viral attachment, uncoating, genome replication/translation or budding [103][104][105]. Antivirals target many mechanisms that target viral enzymes, such as proteases, polymerases or integrases, or they may be able to target viral surface membrane proteins, such as envelope or glycoproteins, the aim being to indirectly hinder the particular viral functions by allosterically altering enzymatic active sites and interrupting replication [106,107]. Some antivirals are designed without a 3 ′ hydroxyl group, which blocks the viral chain and prevents DNA/RNA synthesis and elongation [108].…”