LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Acyclovir: Monophosphate
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MECHANISM OF ACTION — Acyclovir (9-[2-hydroxymethyl]guanine) is a nucleoside analog which selectively inhibits the replication of HSV (types 1 and 2) and VZV. After intracellular uptake, it is converted to acyclovir monophosphate by virally-encoded thymidine kinase; this step does not occur to any significant degree in uninfected cells and thereby lends specificity to the drug's activity. The monophosphate derivative is subsequently converted to acyclovir triphosphate by cellular enzymes.
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Acyclovir is highly selective due to its affinity for the enzyme thymidine kinase (TK) encoded by HSV and VZV. This viral enzyme converts acyclovir into acyclovir monophosphate, a nucleotide analogue. The monophosphate is further converted into diphosphate by cellular guanylate kinase and into triphosphate by a number of cellular enzymes. This process results in blocking the replication of the herpes viral DNA.
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Acyclovir is converted to acyclovir monophosphate by virus-specific thymidine kinase, diphosphate by cellular guanylate kinase, and then ultimately converted to acyclovir triphosphate via cellular enzymes. Acyclovir undergoes minimal hepatic metabolism by aldehyde oxidase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase to form inactive metabolites.[1]
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Acyclovir is converted to acyclovir monophosphate by virus-specific thymidine kinase then further converted to acyclovir triphosphate by other cellular enzymes. Acyclovir triphosphate inhibits DNA synthesis and viral replication by competing with deoxyguanosine triphosphate for viral DNA polymerase and being incorporated into viral DNA.
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Monophosphate