nukleosiidanaloog

Nukleosiidanaloog, also known as nucleoside analog, is a synthetic compound that resembles a natural nucleoside. Nucleosides are fundamental building blocks of DNA and RNA, consisting of a nitrogenous base (like adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, or uracil) linked to a sugar molecule (ribose or deoxyribose). Nukleosiidanaloog differs from natural nucleosides in its chemical structure, typically by modifications to the nitrogenous base, the sugar moiety, or both.

These structural alterations allow nukleosiidanaloog to interfere with cellular processes, particularly DNA replication and RNA synthesis. When incorporated into the growing DNA or RNA chain by enzymes like DNA polymerase or reverse transcriptase, they can either terminate the chain elongation or lead to the production of non-functional genetic material. This disruptive capability makes them valuable as therapeutic agents.

The primary applications of nukleosiidanaloog are in antiviral and anticancer therapies. In antiviral treatment, they are designed to inhibit the replication of viruses by targeting viral enzymes essential for their life cycle. For instance, several antiviral drugs used to treat HIV, hepatitis B, and herpes infections are nukleosiidanaloog. In cancer treatment, they work by interfering with the rapid proliferation of cancer cells, which rely heavily on DNA replication. By disrupting this process, nukleosiidanaloog can slow or stop tumor growth. However, due to their mechanism of action, nukleosiidanaloog can also affect healthy, rapidly dividing cells, leading to side effects. Research continues to develop more specific and less toxic analogs.