Making anti-viral drugs is more difficult than making anti-bacterial m...
Viruses have few biochemical mechanisms of their own. They enter host's cells and use host's cell machinery for their life processes. This implies that there are relatively few virus specific targets to aim at.
Making anti-viral drugs is more difficult than making anti-bacterial m...
Why making anti-viral drugs is more difficult than making anti-bacterial medicines:
There are several reasons why making anti-viral drugs is more challenging compared to making anti-bacterial medicines. These reasons include:
1. Viruses have very few biochemical mechanisms of their own:
- Viruses are intracellular parasites that rely on host cells to carry out their life cycle.
- They use the host's cellular machinery to replicate and produce more viruses.
- This limited number of biochemical mechanisms makes it challenging to target specific viral processes without affecting the host cells.
2. Viruses are on the borderline of living and non-living:
- Viruses are often described as "obligate intracellular parasites" because they require host cells to replicate.
- Unlike bacteria, viruses lack the cellular machinery necessary for metabolic activities.
- This unique nature of viruses makes it difficult to find targets for drugs that selectively inhibit viral replication without harming the host cells.
3. Viruses have RNA as their genetic material:
- Many viruses have RNA as their genetic material instead of DNA.
- RNA viruses often mutate rapidly, leading to the emergence of new strains and variants.
- This high mutation rate makes it challenging to develop drugs that can effectively target the rapidly changing viral genetic material.
4. Viruses have a protein coat:
- Viruses are composed of a protein coat, known as a capsid, which protects their genetic material.
- This protein coat can act as a barrier, preventing drugs from reaching and inhibiting the viral genetic material.
- Developing drugs that can effectively penetrate this protein coat and inhibit viral replication is a significant challenge.
In conclusion, making anti-viral drugs is more difficult than making anti-bacterial medicines due to the limited biochemical mechanisms of viruses, their unique nature on the border of living and non-living, the presence of RNA as their genetic material, and the protective protein coat that viruses possess. These factors pose challenges in finding specific targets and developing drugs that can effectively inhibit viral replication without harming the host cells.