Which of the following is most common side effect of zidovudine?
High-Yield Explanation
Zidovudine: It is a thymidine analogue (azidothymidine, AZT), the prototype NI. After phosphorylation in the host cell-zidovudine triphosphate selectively inhibits viral reverse transcriptase (RNA-dependent DNA polymerase) in preference to cellular DNA polymerase Adverse effects Toxicity is mainly due to paial inhibition of cellular DNA polymerase. Anaemia and neutropenia are the most impoant and dose-related adverse effects. Nausea, anorexia, abdominal pain, headache, insomnia and myalgia are common at the sta of therapy but diminish later. Myopathy, lactic acidosis, hepatomegaly, convulsions and encephalopathy are infrequent. ESSENTIALS OF MEDICAL PHARMACOLOGY K.D.TRIPATHI SIXTH EDITION PAGE NO:770,771