What are the efficacy and side effects of Azvudine tablets?

Generally, the effects of Azvudine tablets include inhibiting viral replication, shortening the disease course, reducing the risk of severe illness, improving pulmonary lesions, and immunomodulatory effects. Side effects may include gastrointestinal discomfort, dizziness and headache, abnormal liver function, kidney damage, and allergic reactions. If this medication is needed, it should be used under the guidance of a physician. A detailed explanation is as follows:

I. Effects of Azvudine Tablets

1. Inhibition of Viral Replication

Azvudine tablets specifically target the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. By inserting into the viral DNA synthesis chain, it prevents the synthesis of viral nucleic acids, thereby effectively inhibiting the replication of the virus within the human body and reducing viral load.

2. Shortening the Disease Course

This medication can help alleviate symptoms such as fever, cough, and fatigue, enabling the patient's body to recover more quickly, thus shortening the time from infection to recovery and allowing patients to resume normal life and work sooner.

3. Reducing the Risk of Progression to Severe Illness

For high-risk populations infected with SARS-CoV-2, such as elderly individuals or those with underlying medical conditions, Azvudine tablets can reduce the risk of developing severe illness, thereby decreasing the need for hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, and other medical interventions.

4. Improvement of Pulmonary Lesions

Azvudine tablets help reduce lung inflammation caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection and promote improvement in pulmonary imaging findings, reducing the extent of lung lesions and gradually restoring lung function.

5. Immunomodulatory Effects

Azvudine tablets can induce the body to produce cytokines such as interferon, enhancing the body's defense against pathogens, which helps patients better resist the virus during treatment.

II. Side Effects of Azvudine Tablets

1. Gastrointestinal Discomfort

Azvudine tablets may irritate the gastrointestinal mucosa, affecting normal gastrointestinal motility and secretion of digestive fluids, thereby causing symptoms such as nausea, decreased appetite, and diarrhea.

2. Dizziness and Headache

The medication may enter the central nervous system through the bloodstream, affecting the balance of neurotransmitters or interfering with nerve signal transmission, which may lead to dizziness, headache, and other discomforts.

3. Abnormal Liver Function

During the metabolism of Azvudine tablets in the liver, some damage to liver cells may occur, affecting the enzyme systems within liver cells, causing the release of enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) into the bloodstream, leading to abnormal liver function indicators.

4. Kidney Damage

When the drug and its metabolites are excreted through the kidneys, they may accumulate in the kidneys, exerting toxic effects on structures such as glomeruli and renal tubules, thereby affecting the filtration and excretion functions of the kidneys, leading to elevated serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels.

5. Allergic Reactions

Some components in Azvudine tablets may act as allergens, activating the human immune system, triggering immune responses, and releasing inflammatory mediators such as histamine, which may lead to allergic symptoms such as rash, difficulty breathing, and laryngeal edema.

During the administration of Azvudine tablets, it is important to drink plenty of water to promote the excretion of drug metabolites and reduce the burden on the liver and kidneys. Additionally, alcohol consumption should be avoided, as alcohol may interact with the medication, increasing the risk of liver damage and hindering recovery.