Which class of drugs includes zidovudine and lamivudine?

Zidovudine and lamivudine belong to the class of drugs known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). This class of medications functions by inhibiting the reverse transcriptase enzyme, which is crucial for the replication of retroviruses such as HIV. NRTIs are analogs of nucleotides, and when incorporated into the viral DNA chain during replication, they lead to premature termination of the chain, effectively preventing the virus from reproducing.

Zidovudine, also known as AZT, was one of the first drugs approved for the treatment of HIV, while lamivudine is commonly used in combination therapy to enhance the effectiveness of treatment and reduce the risk of developing resistance. By interrupting the viral life cycle in this way, NRTIs have played a significant role in managing HIV infections and improving patient outcomes.

The other classes mentioned, such as protease inhibitors and integrase inhibitors, work through different mechanisms and are distinct from the NRTIs in both structure and function. Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors also target the same enzyme but do so in a non-competitive manner, unlike the nucleoside counterparts. Therefore, the correct classification of zidovudine