zidovudine + zalcitabine

**Zidovudine + zalcitabine** is a fixed-dose combination of two antiretroviral drugs: zidovudine (also known as AZT) and zalcitabine (also known as ddC), both of which are classified as nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). The combination was historically used for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in adults. Zidovudine is a thymidine analog that inhibits HIV reverse transcriptase by incorporation into viral DNA, leading to chain termination. Zalcitabine is a cytidine analog that is similarly incorporated into viral DNA, inhibiting reverse transcriptase and blocking viral replication. The combination demonstrated superior efficacy over zidovudine monotherapy in delaying HIV disease progression and reducing mortality, particularly in antiretroviral-naive patients. Both drugs were administered orally, typically at intervals of eight hours. Zidovudine + zalcitabine is no longer considered a preferred regimen due to the development of safer and more effective NRTIs and the risk of toxicities, such as peripheral neuropathy and hematological disorders[1][2][3][4].

Brand names

Hivid (zalcitabine)Retrovir (zidovudine)

Other names

AZT + ddC