Virology & Mycology
Open Access

Study of Stavudine

Jeesica Mery^{* *}Correspondence: Dr. Jeesica Mery, Department of Virology, University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala, India, Email:

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Description

Stavudine (d4T), sold under the brand name Zerit among others, is an antiretroviral drug used to prevent and treat HIV/ AIDS. It is recommended for use with other antiretrovirals. It may be utilized for prevention after a needlestick injury or other potential exposure. However, it is not a first-line treatment. It is given through oral route. Common reactions including cerebral pain, loose bowels, spewing, rash, and fringe nerve problems. Severe incidental effects including high blood lactate, pancreatitis, and a broadened liver. Stavudin is not suggested in pregnancy. Stavudine is in the nucleoside simple reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) class of medication. Stavudine was first described in 1966 and endorsed for use in the United States in 1994. It is available in a generic form. Stavudine is used in the therapy of HIV-1 disease, but it is not normally suggested as starting cure. Stavudine can also reduce the risk of creating HIV-1 disease subsequent to coming into contact with the infection either either at work (e.g., needle-stick) or through exposure to infected blood or other bodily fluids. It is continuously utilized in combined with other HIV drugs for the better control of the disease and a decrease in HIV complications.

The World Health Organization (WHO) prescribes stavudine to be banned due to its high toxicity levels. If the drug used, it is prescribed to use in low doses to decrease the side effects; however, a 2015 Cochrane survey tracked down no reasonable benefit among high and low dose regimens Stavudine has been shown to influence affect the fetus in animal studies but no data are accessible from human studies. Pregnant women should therefore be given stavudine only if the potential benefits outweigh the potential harm to the fetus. Moreover, there have been case reports of lethal lactic acidosis in pregnant women receiving combination therapy of stavudine and didanosine with other antiviral agents.The centers for disease control and prevention suggest that HIV-contaminated mothers not breastfeed their infants, to stay away from the danger of HIV transmission through breast milk. There is also confirmation that stavudine gets into animal breast milk, although no data are available for human breast milk, Stavudine is safe for use in children infected with HIV from birth adolescence. Adverse effects and security profile are the same as adults.

There is no data for stavudine use in HIV-infected adults aged 65 years or older. Among 12,000 individuals beyond 65 years old, 30% created peripheral neuropathy. Moreover, since the old are elderly are more likely to have decreased renal function, they are more likely to develop toxic side effects. Individuals are monitored for the development of these serious adverse effects. People are checked for the improvement of these serious antagonistic impacts. The development of peripheral neuropathy is shown to be dose related, and may be resolved if the drug is discontinued. Individuals with advanced HIV-1 disease, a history of peripheral neuropathy, or personals on other drugs that have alliance with neuropathy develop this side effect more often Stavudine is a nucleoside analog of thymidine. It is phosphorylated by cellular kinases into an active triphosphate. Stavudine triphosphate inhibits HIV's reverse transcriptase by competing with the natural substrate, thymidine triphosphate. Reverse transcriptase is the enzyme the virus uses to make a DNA copy of its RNA in order to insert its genetic material into the host's DNA. Upon incorporation into the DNA strand, stavudine triphosphate causes termination of DNA replication.