Emtricitabine is a medical agent that belongs to the group of chemical analogues. Emtricitabine belongs to the nucleosides, more precisely to the substance cytidine. Emtricitabine exerts a virostatic effect in the human organism and for this reason is used, among other things, to treat HIV, both for people with HIV-1 and HIV-2.
What is emtricitabine?
Basically, emtricitabine represents a virostatic drug and belongs to the reverse transcriptase inhibitors of nucleosides. In this context, emtricitabine is mainly used in combination antiretroviral treatments. Together with the active medical ingredient tenofovir, emtricitabine is used in numerous medications that doctors prescribe for the prophylaxis of AIDS. However, emtricitabine is not only suitable for drug therapy of HIV, but also for the treatment of viruses causing hepatitis B. In principle, emtricitabine belongs to the group of active substances known as analogues, and in this context it belongs to cytidine. The highly antiviral effect of emtricitabine makes the drug particularly interesting for the treatment of HIV infections. At room temperature, the substance emtricitabine usually exists in a solid aggregate state. The melting point of the drug is between 136 and 140 degrees Celsius. In addition, the substance emtricitabine is only moderately to slightly soluble in water. In some cases, emtricitabine can also be dissolved in ethanol. The chemical structural formula of emtricitabine is characterized by a pyrimidine ring. This ring indicates that the drug emtricitabine belongs to the chemical analogues. The second section of the chemical structural formula of emtricitabine features a benzene ring. This ring indicates that emtricitabine is an aromatic hydrocarbon compound. In principle, the active ingredient emtricitabine is relatively similar to the drug lamivudine, since both drugs can be traced back to a common pharmaceutical development. Lamivudine is also used in HIV therapy. The substance emtricitabine is currently used in three fixed combinations. Since the benefit/risk ratio of emtricitabine is relatively favorable, the active ingredient is suitable as a first-line medication. People with HIV infection thus receive a single tablet to treat their symptoms. In addition, pharmaceutical manufacturers also use emtricitabine together with rilpivirine and tenofovir to increase the efficacy of all substances and offset disadvantages.
Pharmacologic effects on the body and organs
Emtricitabine is a very effective antiviral that slows the spread of viruses in the human organism. For this reason, the substance emtricitabine is ideally suited for use in HIV drug therapy. For example, emtricitabine is more effective than the drug stavudine and reduces the viral load more than the active ingredient lamivudine. Emtricitabine also has a longer half-life than lamivudine. In addition, it does not lead to resistance as quickly. The efficacy of both drugs is lost if patients have a point mutation in M184V. From a structural perspective, the difference between emtricitabine and lamivudine lies only in a specific fluorine atom in the pyrimidine ring. The effect of emtricitabine is mainly due to the fact that the substance impairs and slows down viral reverse transcriptase. The elimination half-life of emtricitabine is ten hours, so patients take the drug once a day. After ingestion, the molecules of emtricitabine enter cells infected by the corresponding viruses. There, phosphorylation occurs, whereby substances of emtricitabine are transferred into the genetic material of the viruses. In this way, it is difficult for the viruses to multiply and spread.
Medical use and use for treatment and prevention.
Emtricitabine is used primarily as a drug for HIV infection. On the other hand, however, its use for the medical treatment of hepatitis B is also possible, since emtricitabine also inhibits these viruses. Currently, the drug emtricitabine is available under the trade names Truvada, Emtriva and Atripla. Patients receive emtricitabine in tablet form, so oral administration is practical. A prescription for emtricitabine is possible for patients who have already received therapy as well as in the context of a first-time medication.However, a minimum age of four months is required for emtricitabine administration. The tablets usually contain 200 milligrams of emtricitabine and can be taken independently of meals. Patients should take one tablet per day. In children, body weight is the determining factor for emtricitabine dosage.
Risks and side effects
The manufacturers of the active substance advertise that the drug is very well tolerated. Nevertheless, numerous undesirable side effects are possible after taking emtricitabine. However, their severity is different for each person; moreover, side effects do not develop in every case. Children, in particular, are at risk of anemia from taking emtricitabine. In addition, the administration of the active substance emtricitabine sometimes causes hyperpigmented areas on the skin. General side effects of emtricitabine include nausea and vomiting as well as dizziness. Some patients also suffer from sleep disturbances due to long-term use of emtricitabine. Both difficulties falling asleep and staying asleep are possible. In addition, hyperlipidemia and itching of the skin sometimes develop. Rhabdomyolysis also sometimes forms as a result of emtricitabine administration.
