A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF NEVIRAPINE Authors: Aher S , DAMA GY* AND JOSHI SA
ABSTRACT
Nevirapine is a highly specific inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT), which is an important
therapeutic target in the treatment of HIV infection. It was the first non-nucleoside RT inhibitor (NNRTI)
approved for use in HIV-infected individuals, including children. Nevirapine inhibits the replication
of several HIV-1 strains and clinical isolates in cultured human T cells, but has no activity against other
retroviral RTs (including HIV-2 RT) or endogenous human DNA polymerases. Nevirapine
monotherapy rapidly selects for advanced drug resistance caused by a single amino acid substitution in
the HIV RT gene. The pattern of resistance mutations selected by nevirapine overlaps with other NNRTIs,
but differs from that of nucleoside analog RT inhibitors and protease inhibitors. The pharmacokinetics of
nevirapine is characterized by rapid and almost complete oral absorption,
apparently uniform distribution in all body organs and tissues, and a long elimination half-
life. Nevirapine is metabolized by cytochrome P450 isoenzymes and induces their
activity. Caution should be exercised when nevirapine is co-administered with other
drugs metabolized by this system, including HIV protease inhibitors.
Keyword: Nevirapine (NVP), HIV protease inhibitors, ADR, Mechanism of action, HPLC approach Publication date: 01/05/2025 https://ijbpas.com/pdf/2025/May/MS_IJBPAS_2025_8971.pdfDownload PDFhttps://doi.org/10.31032/IJBPAS/2025/14.5.8971
