REVIEW

Recent Advances in the Structural Modifications and Applications of Ribavirin

  • Lv Jie ,
  • Li Tingting
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  • 1Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Education, Chongqing 400067, China;
    2State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China

Received date: 2026-01-19

  Revised date: 2026-03-01

  Online published: 2026-05-07

Supported by

Science and Technology Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (No. KJQN202501618), and the University-level Project of Chongqing University of Education (No. BSRC2024070, No. 2025XJQNXZTJ05).

Abstract

Structural modification of nucleoside analogues is an important strategy for developing novel drugs. Ribavirin, as one of the representative nucleoside analogues, is a broad-spectrum antiviral nucleoside drug. However, its prolonged or excessive use can lead to side effects, such as reduction in white blood cell count and inhibition of red blood cell production. Therefore, extensive research has focused on developing ribavirin derivatives with improved efficacy and reduced toxicity. This minireview systematically summarizes the structural modifications and applications of ribavirin, primarily including: 1) glycosyl modifications and 2) base modifications. Additionally, novel synthetic methods and potential applications in drug development are discussed, providing insights for the development of novel antiviral drugs.

Cite this article

Lv Jie , Li Tingting . Recent Advances in the Structural Modifications and Applications of Ribavirin[J]. Chinese Journal of Organic Chemistry, 0 : 202601025 . DOI: 10.6023/cjoc202601025

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