DIDANOSINE Meaning and
Definition
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Didanosine, also known as ddI, is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) medication used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. It belongs to the antiretroviral drug class and works by suppressing the replication of the virus, thus slowing down the progression of HIV disease.
The pharmaceutical compound didanosine is a synthetic analogue of deoxyadenosine, a naturally occurring component of DNA. Once ingested, it is converted into its active form, dideoxyadenosine triphosphate (ddATP), by cellular enzymes. DdATP competes with endogenous deoxyadenosine triphosphate (dATP) for incorporation into the growing viral DNA chain during HIV replication. The incorporation of ddATP instead of dATP terminates viral DNA synthesis, blocking the reverse transcriptase enzyme and preventing further viral replication.
Didanosine is available in the form of oral capsules or chewable tablets and is typically prescribed alongside other antiretroviral drugs as part of combination therapy. It is usually taken on an empty stomach for optimal absorption. Common side effects may include nausea, diarrhea, pancreatitis, peripheral neuropathy, and liver problems.
As with any HIV treatment, close monitoring of viral load and CD4 cell count is needed to assess the drug's effectiveness. Didanosine has been an important constituent of antiretroviral regimens since its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1991, but newer, more potent drugs have largely replaced it in current practice due to increased toxicity and the need for twice-daily dosing.
Common Misspellings for DIDANOSINE
- sidanosine
- xidanosine
- cidanosine
- fidanosine
- ridanosine
- eidanosine
- dudanosine
- djdanosine
- dkdanosine
- dodanosine
- d9danosine
- d8danosine
- disanosine
- dixanosine
- dicanosine
- difanosine
- diranosine
- dieanosine
- didznosine
- didsnosine
Etymology of DIDANOSINE
The word "didanosine" has its etymology rooted in the chemical structure and nomenclature of the drug. Didanosine is an antiretroviral medication used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS.
The term "didanosine" is a combination of several elements. The "di-" prefix indicates the presence of two deoxyribose groups (sugar units) in the molecule. The first syllable, "dano", derives from the chemical term "deoxyadenosine". Adenosine refers to a nucleoside, a molecule composed of a sugar (ribose) and a nitrogenous base (adenine) that is found in DNA and RNA. Lastly, the "-sine" suffix is used to represent the sugar component of a nucleoside.
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