Idoxuridine is a pyrimidine analog antiviral used for the treatment of viral eye infections, including herpes simplex keratitis. In chemical structure idoxuridine closely approximates the configuration of thymidine. As a result, idoxuridine is able to replace thymidine in the enzymatic step of viral replication or "growth". The consequent production of faulty DNA results in a pseudostructure which cannot infect or destroy tissue. The virus infected cell may only be attacked during the period of active synthesis of DNA. This in turn inhibits thymidylate phosphorylase and viral DNA polymerases from properly functioning. The effect of Idoxuridine results in the inability of the virus to reproduce or to infect/destroy tissue.

Idoxuridine Pathway References