Tag: Reverse transcriptase

NRTIs, or nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, were the first class of antiretroviral drugs to be approved by the FDA for HIV treatment, marking a monumental step in managing the infection. Understanding what is the mechanism of action of NRTI is crucial for comprehending how these foundational drugs work to combat the virus at its core.

Approved by the FDA in 1987, azidothymidine (AZT) was the very first antiretroviral medication for treating HIV. To understand how does AZT work, one must first grasp its role as a nucleoside analog that disrupts the virus's replication cycle by targeting a key viral enzyme.