What is the difference between nrti and nnrti

To be able to answer your questions about NNRTIs non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and NRTIs nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors let me first start by explaining what a nucleoside is and how reverse transcriptase works.

DNA is the genetic code which makes us what we are. It is what determines if we have blue eyes or a wonky nose, what we look like and to some people, if we are susceptible to any genetic medical conditions. Our body is constantly renewing itself and making new cells. It is a bit like a zip opening. The single-stranded RNA then goes on to become the proteins that make up our skin, organs, hair, nails etc.

HIV alone is not able to replicate. It has to put its own genetic material into our genetic material so that we can replicate the parts of the virus ourselves. In this case, reverse transcriptase is like the bit at the bottom of a jacket where you insert one part of a zip to meet the other part of the zip to allow the zip to close. Reverse transcriptase is not found in human cells without HIV. This stops HIV replicating so the amount of virus in the body will go down.

Think again of the zip. NRTIs work in different ways but one of the main ways is to compete with reverse transcriptase for their interaction site with HIV genetic material. This is like trying to zip up a jacket with more than one sets of zips. So NRTIs are like another zip giving the zipper another track to follow. NNRTIs work by sitting in a binding site in the virus structure and this is a bit like having an object that blocks the teeth of the zipper, so the zipper cannot get past the block.

This is great, simplified, easy to remember explanation. I think I will remember this explanation for the rest of my life, insha Allah! Thank you so much for making it easy and memorable. Clinical pharmacokinetics of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors P.

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