Antiviral Drugs Question And Answers

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Antiviral Drugs Important Notes

1. Antiviral drugs

  • Amantadine
  • Acyclovir
  • Vidarabine
  • Zidovudine
  • Idoxuridine

2. Classification of anti-retroviral drugs

  • Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
    • Zidovudine
    • Didanosine
    • Lamivudine
  • Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
    • Nevirapine
    • Efavirenz
  • Protease inhibitors
    • Ritonavir
    • Saquinavir

3. Acyclovir

  • It is available as IV, oral and topical application
  • Used in the treatment of
    • Genital herpes
    • Herpes zoster infection

4. Zidovudine and Didanosine

  • Used in the treatment of AIDS
  • They block the action of reverse transcriptase in HIV infection 5

Antiviral Drugs Short Essays

Question 1. Antiviral drugs.
Answer:

Viruses are intracellular parasites which depend on the host cells for their food, growth and multiplication.

  • Antiviral drugs interfere with the steps of the viral reproduction cycle within host cells.

Antiviral drugs Classification:

1. Anti-herpesvirus.

  • Idoxuridine, acyclovir, valacyclovir.

2. Anti-retrovirus.

  • Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
    • Zidovudine, Didanosie, abacavir
  • Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.
    • Nevirapine, efavirenz.
  • Protease inhibitors.
    • Ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir.

Read And Learn More: Pharmacology Question and Answers

3. Anti-influenza virus.

  • Amantadine, rimantadine.

4. Nonselective antiviral drugs.

  • Ribavirin, lamivudine.

Antiviral Drugs Short Question And Answers

Question 1. Acyclovir.
Answer:

Acyclovir is antiviral agent.

The spectrum of activity:

  • Herpes simplex virus – type 1 and type 2.
  • Varicella zoster virus.
  • Epstein – Barr virus.

Mechanism of action:

Antiviral Drugs Acyclovir Mechanism Of Action

Acyclovir Uses:

  • Mucocutaneous herpes simplex – type I
  • Genital herpes.
  • H. Simplex encephalitis.
  • H. Simplex keratitis.
  • Herpes zoster.
  • Chickenpox.

Acyclovir Adverse effects:

1. Oral use.

  • Headache, nausea, malaise, diarrhoea.

2. Topical use.

  • Stinging and burning sensation.

3. Intravenous use.

  • Rashes, sweating, emesis, fall in BP

Question 2. Zidovueline.
Answer:

  • It is the first drug to be used in the treatment of HIV infection.

Zidovueline Mechanism of Action:

Antiviral Drugs Zidovueline Mechanism Of Action

Zidovueline Uses:

  • Used in HIV – infected patients along with other antiretroviral drugs.
  • Its effects are
    • Reduces HIV – RNA titre.
    • Increases CD4 count
    • Improves immune status.
    • Reduces chances of opportunistic infections.

Zidovueline Adverse effects:

  • Bone marrow depression – anaemia neutropenia.
  • Headache.
  • Nausea.
  • Myalgia, fatigue.
  • Insomnia.
  • Myopathy.
  • Neurotoxicity.

Question 3. Mention the drugs used in Typhoid fever.
Answer:

  • First choice of drugs
    • Ciprofloxacin
    • Ceftriaxone
  • Alternative drugs
    • Chloramphenicol
    • Ampicillin
    • Cotrimoxazole

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