Sorivudine (

INN Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging, and usually, food and drink. Inns are typically located in the country or along a highway; before the advent of motorized transportation they also provided accommo ...

), is a

nucleoside analogue Nucleoside analogues are nucleosides which contain a nucleic acid analogue and a sugar. Nucleotide analogs are nucleotides which contain a nucleic acid analogue, a sugar, and a phosphate group with one to three phosphates. Nucleoside and nucl ...

antiviral drug, marketed under trade names such as Usevir ( Nippon Shoji,

Eisai was a Japanese Buddhist priest, credited with founding the Rinzai school, the Japanese line of the Linji school of Zen Buddhism. In 1191, he introduced this Zen approach to Japan, following his trip to China from 1187 to 1191, during which he w ...

) and Brovavir (

BMS BMS may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Be-Music Source, a computer file format and Beatmania simulating game system * Bristol Motor Speedway, Tennessee, US * '' Blue Mountain State'', a television series * Bibliography of Music Literature (BM ...

). It is used for the treatment of

varicella zoster Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpesvirus 3 (HHV-3, HHV3) or ''Human alphaherpesvirus 3'' (taxonomically), is one of nine known herpes viruses that can infect humans. It causes chickenpox (varicella) commonly affecting chil ...

virus infections.

Pharmacology

Feature

* First-line treatment of herpes drug acyclovir was (Zovirax, Activir) from VZV strong activity of the virus. * Undergoes gastrointestinal absorption, absorption from the gastrointestinal tract after the most degrading without being excreted in urine.

Mechanism of action

* Sorivudine is phosphorylated by thymidine kinase activity in the body and is absorbed into the virus's DNA instead of the correct nucleoside. It is a competitive inhibitor of DNA polymerase, so the viral DNA cannot be replicated and the virus cannot grow.

Microbiology

Sorivudine is active against most species in the

herpesvirus ''Herpesviridae'' is a large family of DNA viruses that cause infections and certain diseases in animals, including humans. The members of this family are also known as herpesviruses. The family name is derived from the Greek word ''ἕρπειν ...

family. * Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) *

Varicella zoster virus Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpesvirus 3 (HHV-3, HHV3) or ''Human alphaherpesvirus 3'' (taxonomically), is one of nine known herpes viruses that can infect humans. It causes chickenpox (varicella) commonly affecting chil ...

(VZV) *

Epstein–Barr virus The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), formally called ''Human gammaherpesvirus 4'', is one of the nine known human herpesvirus types in the herpes family, and is one of the most common viruses in humans. EBV is a double-stranded DNA virus. It is b ...

(EBV)

Interactions

Sorivudine interacts strongly and in some cases lethally with

fluorouracil Fluorouracil (5-FU), sold under the brand name Adrucil among others, is a cytotoxic chemotherapy medication used to treat cancer. By intravenous injection it is used for treatment of colorectal cancer, oesophageal cancer, stomach cancer, pan ...

(5-FU), its prodrugs and related substances. This is based on the metabolite bromovinyluracil (BVU), which irreversibly inhibits the enzyme

dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase In enzymology, a dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (NADP+) () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :5,6-dihydrouracil + NADP+ \rightleftharpoons uracil + NADPH + H+ Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are 5,6-dihydrouracil an ...

(DPD) which is necessary for inactivating 5-FU. The closely related drug

brivudine Brivudine (trade names Zostex, Mevir, Brivir, among others) is an antiviral drug used in the treatment of herpes zoster ("shingles"). Like other antivirals, it acts by inhibiting replication of the target virus. Medical uses Brivudine is used fo ...

has the same interaction.

References

Pyrimidinediones Anti-herpes virus drugs Arabinosides Hydroxymethyl compounds {{Antiinfective-drug-stub