title: Antiviral effects of phosphonoformate (PFA, foscarnet sodium).
abstract: This article describes the antiviral properties of foscarnet (trisodium phosphonoformate) at the enzyme level as well as in cell cultures and in vivo. The mechanism of action against herpesvirus DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases is outlined. Clinical studies using topical foscarnet against mucocutaneous herpes simplex virus infections are presented. The clinical use of intravenous foscarnet against severe viral infections caused by cytomegalovirus, hepatitis B virus and human immunodeficiency virus is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Antiviral Chemotherapy, Research & Development Laboratories, Astra Alab AB, Södertälje, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oberg
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D017245:Foscarnet; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010746:Phosphonoacetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014780:Viruses / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D017245:Foscarnet; D009713:Nucleotidyltransferases; D010746:Phosphonoacetic Acid