ribavirin

Also known as Copegus®, ribofluranosyl carboxamide, Virazole®, 1-beta-D-Ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide, 1-beta-D-Ribofuranosyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide, RBV, Ribavirinum

Ribavirin, also known as tribavirin, is an antiviral medication used to treat illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, as well as some viral hemorrhagic fevers. For HCV, it is used in combination with other medications, such as simeprevir, sofosbuvir, peginterferon alfa-2b or peginterferon alfa-2a. It can also be used for viral hemorrhagic fevers—specifically, for Lassa fever, Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, and Hantavirus infections (with exceptions for Ebola or Marburg virus diseases). Ribavirin is usually taken orally (by mouth) or inhaled

Key facts

Drug.protein_bound: 0%
Drug.Watchedfields: changed
Drug.verifiedrevid: 464382050
Drug.IUPAC_name: 1-[(2R,3R,4S,5R)-3,4-Dihydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)oxolan-2-yl]-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide
Drug.BAN: tribavirin
Drug.image: Ribavirin.svg
Drug.image_class: skin-invert-image
Drug.width: 175
Drug.image2: Ribavirin-from-xtal-Mercury-3D-bs.png
Drug.image_class2: bg-transparent
Drug.width2: 200
Drug.tradename: Copegus, Rebetol, Virazole, other

~12 min read

Article

16 sections

Contents

Medical uses
Hepatitis C
Viral hemorrhagic fever
Experimental uses
Adverse effects
Mechanisms of action
RNA viruses
DNA viruses
eIF4E targeting in cancer
History and culture
Names
Derivatives
Taribavirin
Notes
References
External links

Its common side effects include fatigue, headache, nausea, fever, muscle pains, and an irritable mood. Serious side effects include red blood cell breakdown, liver problems, and allergic reactions. Its use during pregnancy can bring harm to the developing fetus. Effective birth control is recommended for both males and females for at least seven months during and after use. The mechanism of action of ribavirin is not entirely clear.