| There
are several stages in the reproductive cycle of HIV. At each
stage, chemical messengers called enzymes help the virus make copies of
itself. Some drugs can inhibit (slow down or stop) the actions of
these enzymes. When the enzymes can't do their work, the virus
won't be able to reproduce itself as quickly.
Reverse transcriptase (RT) is one of
the enzymes that HIV needs to make copies of itself. RT inhibitors
work early in HIV's life cycle, just after it has infected a cell.
HIV needs to change its genetic
material (RNA) to match the genetic material of your cells (DNA).
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors work by interfering with
this "conversion" process. Genetic material, whether
it's RNA or DNA, is made up of nucleosides. An analogue is one
chemical compound that is very similar to another. Nucleoside
analogues are compounds that are almost the same as the basic components
of genetic material. As the viral RNA is being turned into DNA,
nucleoside analogues bind to the DNA and block the conversion process.
Side Effects of Nucleoside Analogues
The side effects most commonly reported
by people who use these drugs include nausea and vomiting, headaches, diarrhea,
chills and fever. Not everyone will experience these side
effects. Many people are able to "dose through" side
effects by continuing to take the drugs and letting their bodies get
used to them.
|
