Antivirals
“Antiviral” covers many separate medicines that each work against one type of virus, and the choice depends on which virus is involved. Herpesviruses, influenza, HIV and viral hepatitis each need a different medicine.
Aciclovir Tablets
200mg · 400mg · 800mg
Utilised to target viral replication to mitigate local viral symptoms and support immune recovery.
Biktarvy
Bictegravir, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Alafenamide
50mg + 200mg + 25mg
Intended to relieve retroviral burden to support clinical immune preservation and target viral replicative enzymes.
Tenvir-em
Tenofovir Disoproxil, Emtricitabine
300mg + 200mg
Designed to support viral suppression and prevention to manage retroviral loads and alleviate risk of infection.
Medex Tablets
1mg · 5mg
Intended to relieve intravascular clotting risks to support blood fluidity and target arterial safety parameters.
Amantadine Tablets
50mg · 100mg
Utilised to manage movement disorders to alleviate motor deficits and support clinical stability.
Chloroquine Tablets
250mg · 500mg
Developed to mitigate intracellular parasitic multiplication to support hepatic and erythrocytic healing.
Trustiva
Tenofovir Disoproxil, Efavirenz, Emtricitabine
300mg + 600mg + 200mg
Intended to relieve retroviral multiplication to support immune CD4 count preservation and target viral replicative enzymes.
Key points
- CDC recommends antiviral medicines for influenza, distinct from antibiotics used for bacterial infections.
- HIV is usually treated with a combination of medicines from more than one antiretroviral class.
- Herpesvirus, hepatitis and HIV medicines each target a different virus.
Medicines for herpesvirus infections
Valtrex contains valaciclovir, Zovirax and Aciclovir Tablets contain aciclovir, and Famvir contains famciclovir, treating herpes zoster, herpes simplex infections and varicella.
Medicines for influenza and COVID-19
Tamiflu contains oseltamivir for influenza A and B, covered by CDC in Treating Flu with Antiviral Drugs. Amantadine Tablets also treats influenza A, as well as Parkinson’s disease, and Movfor contains molnupiravir for COVID-19.
Medicines for HIV-1
Biktarvy combines bictegravir with emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, and Trustiva combines tenofovir disoproxil with efavirenz and emtricitabine. Sustiva contains efavirenz alone, Kaletra combines lopinavir with ritonavir, and Zerit contains stavudine. Tenvir-EM pairs tenofovir disoproxil with emtricitabine, also used for pre-exposure prophylaxis; FDA describes this approach in HIV and AIDS: Medicines to Help You.
Medicines for viral hepatitis
Tenvir and Baraclude contain tenofovir disoproxil and entecavir for chronic hepatitis B. Velpanat pairs sofosbuvir with velpatasvir, Harvoni pairs ledipasvir with sofosbuvir, and Copegus contains ribavirin, all for chronic hepatitis C.
Starlix, Capoten and Atacand also appear in this group, used for type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Medex Tablets prevents blood clots, and Chloroquine Tablets treats malaria and rheumatoid arthritis; none of these five treats a viral infection.