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AZT

AZT is one of the most commonly used anti-HIV drugs.

Chemical Formula: C₁₀H₁₃N₅O₄

Other names: 3'-Azido-3'-deoxythymidine

Layman's explanation: AZT, or azidothymidine, was first developed by Jerome Horowitz in 1964. It was initially not designed as a drug to combat HIV, but rather, for the National Cancer Institute as cancer chemotherapy. AZT was discovered from a herring and salmon sperm extract. Its activity was not initially described until 1985, and it soon became the first anti-HIV drug approved for use in the United States. Azidothymidine is a nucleoside analogue which acts as a reverse transcriptase inhibitor. It blocks the replication of the genetic material necessary for a cell to divide. AZT is used as an anti-HIV drug due to its anti-viral qualities and ability to prevent cellular division.

Keywords: anti-HIV, anti-viral

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