Protease Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors (pronounced: pro-tee-ase in-hi-bit-ors) are a class of antiviral drugs that are commonly used to treat HIV and hepatitis C. Protease inhibitors prevent viral replication by selectively binding to viral proteases (the enzymes that cleave viral proteins) and blocking proteolytic cleavage of protein precursors that are necessary for the production of infectious viral particles.
Etymology
The term "Protease Inhibitors" is derived from the words "protease", a type of enzyme that breaks down proteins, and "inhibitor", which refers to a substance that reduces or stops the activity of another substance.
Types of Protease Inhibitors
There are several types of protease inhibitors, including:
- HIV Protease Inhibitors: These are used to treat HIV. They include drugs such as ritonavir, lopinavir, and darunavir.
- Hepatitis C Protease Inhibitors: These are used to treat hepatitis C. They include drugs such as boceprevir, telaprevir, and simeprevir.
- Cancer Protease Inhibitors: These are used in the treatment of cancer. They include drugs such as bortezomib and carfilzomib.
Related Terms
- Antiretroviral Therapy: This is the treatment of viral infections, such as HIV, using antiviral drugs. Protease inhibitors are a key part of this therapy.
- Viral Load: This is the amount of virus in a person's blood. Protease inhibitors can help to reduce a person's viral load.
- Drug Resistance: This is when a virus or bacteria becomes resistant to a drug, making the drug less effective. Some viruses can become resistant to protease inhibitors.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Protease Inhibitors
- Wikipedia's article - Protease Inhibitors
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