Vidarabine is an anti-viral drug which is active against herpes simplex and varicella zoster viruses.

In the 1950?s two nucleosides were isolated from the Caribbean sponge Tethya crypta : spongothymidine and spongouridine; which contained an arabinoside sugar rather than a ribose . more

Vidarabine is an anti-viral drug which is active against herpes simplex and varicella zoster viruses.

In the 1950?s two nucleosides were isolated from the Caribbean sponge Tethya crypta : spongothymidine and spongouridine; which contained an arabinoside sugar rather than a ribose . These compounds led to the synthesis of a new generation, sugar modified nucleoside analog: vidarabine , and the related compound: cytarabine . In 2004 these were the only marine related compounds in clinical use. [ 1 ] The anti-viral activity of vidarabine was first described by M. Privat de Garilhe and J. De Rudder in 1964. [ 2 ] It was the first nucleoside analog antiviral to be given systemically and was the first agent to be licensed for the treatment of systematic herpes virus infection in man. [ 3 ] It was Dr. Richard Whitley in 1976 where the clinical effectiveness of vidarabine was first realised, and vidarabine was used in the treatment of many viral diseases. [ 2 ] less