What's Ribavirin Used for?

Chloe Bennett
Chloe Bennett
• • 6 min read

Ribavirin Is Used with an Interferon Medication Such as Peginterferon Alfa-2A [Pegasys] or Peginterferon Alpha-2B [Peg-Intron]) to Treat Hepatitis C in People...

What's Ribavirin Used for?

Ribavirin is used with an interferon medication such as peginterferon alfa-2a [Pegasys] or peginterferon alpha-2b [PEG-Intron]) to treat hepatitis C in people who have not been treated with an interferon before. Ribavirin is in a class of antiviral medications

antiviral medications
Antiviral drugs are a class of medication used for treating viral infections. Most antivirals target specific viruses, while a broad-spectrum antiviral is effective against a wide range of viruses. Unlike most antibiotics, antiviral drugs do not destroy their target pathogen; instead they inhibit its development.
› wiki › Antiviral_drug
called nucleoside analogues.

What is ribavirin and how does it work?

Ribavirin is a synthetic guanosine analogue, which acts against hepatitis C virus (HCV) through several mechanisms that include 1) immune modulation; 2) inhibition of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase 3) inhibition of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; 4) induction of HCV mutagenesis; and 5) modulation of interferon- ...

Must Read

Who can take ribavirin?

It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk. Ribavirin is not approved for use by anyone younger than 3 years old. Ribavirin tablets are not approved for use by anyone younger than 5 years old.

Chloe Bennett

Chloe Bennett

Culture, Media & Entertainment Columnist
Instagram Twitter Pinterest

Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.