the inventors contemplate that treatment of a viral infection can be significantly improved by administration of an antiviral agent in a time - release formulation . more specifically , the inventors contemplate that a reverse transcriptase inhibitor in a time - release formulation is administered to a patient suffering from a viral infection . particularly contemplated viruses include retroviruses ( e . g ., hiv , hcv ), ssdna and dsdna . in an especially preferred aspect , the reverse transcriptase inhibitor ( rti ) is an extract from a plant that is known to have an antiviral effect , or an isolated or synthetically prepared compound that can be found in a plant known to have an antiviral effect . especially contemplated plants include abies webbiana ; acacia spec . acacia arabia ; agrimonia eupatoria ; ajuga decumbens ; allium cepa ; allium sativum ; aloe vera ; altemanthera philoxeroides or sessiles ; ammi maius ; andographis paniculata ; apium graveolens ; apium leptophyllum ; arachis hypogaea ; arctium lappa ; amebia euhcroma ; asparagus racemosus ; astragalus spinosus ; astragalus lentingosis swainsonine ; buchenavia capita ; bryonia cretica ssp . dioica ; bryonia angustifolia ; camellia theifera ; camellia sinensis ; cedrela toona ; chrysanthemum morifolium ; coffea arabica ; coptis chinesis ; coptis teetoides ; coptis japonica ; coraria nepalensis ; coriandrum sativum ; curcuma longa ; datura metel syn alba ; daucus carota ; echinacea angustiflora and purpurea ; echinacea simulata ; echinacea pallida ; epimedium grandiflorum ; epimedium sagittatum ; epimedium sinense ; epilobium angustifolium ; erigeron canadensis ; eugenia or syzigium claviflorum ; fagara xanthox ; foeniculum vulgarel ; gardenia coronaria ; gaultheria trichophylla ; glycine max ; glycyrrhiza labra ; gossypium herbaceum ; heracleum sphondylium ; hypericum perforatum ; hypericum japonicum ; hyssopus officinalis ; jasminum officinale ; lithospermum erythrorhizon ; lonicerajaponica ; luffa luffa ; lycopus europaeus ; magnolia officinalis ; mallotus repandus ; mallotus philippinesis ; matricaria chamomil ; matricaria recutitia ; melissa parviflora ; melissa officinalis ; momordica balsamina ; momordica charantia ; narcissus tazetta ; narcissus pseudonarcissus ; oenthera rosea ; paeonia spec . ; papaver somniferum ; perilla frutescens ; phyllanthus niruri ; pinus koraicenis ; pinus parviflora ; piper nirgum ; plumeria rubra ; polyantha suberosa ; prunella vulgaris ; prunus bakariensis ; prunus amygdalus ; psoralea corylifolia ; randia dunatorum ; raphanus sativus ; rheum palmatum ; rhus coriaria ; rhus chinesis ; ricinus communis ; rosmarinus officinalis ; salvia miltiorhiza and officinalis ; sambucus ebulus ; saussurea lappa ; scilla griffithii ; scutellaria baicalensis baiealein ; sedum sediforme ; senecio scandens ; senecio aereus ; skimmia laureola ; solarium niporum ; swertia franchetiana ; terminalia chebula ; terminalia catappa ; terminalia alata ; thula occidentalis ; trapalaponica spec . ; trichosanthes dioica ; trichosanthes kirilowii ; urtica dioica ; viola yeodensis ; woodfordia fruticosa ; woodwardia spec . zanoxylum nitidum . alternatively it should be appreciated that rtis other than plant extracts are also appropriate , and such agents particularly include known and commercially available rtis as indicated in in further especially preferred aspects , contemplated antiviral agents may include a chelating agent that chelates a bivalent metal ion , preferably mg 2 + and / or ca 2 + . especially preferred chelating agents include edta , egta , 1 , 2 - bis ( 2 - aminophenoxy ) ethane - n , n , n ′, n ′- tetraacetic acid , ethylenebis ( oxyethylenenitrilo ) tetraacetic acid , 1 , 2 - bis ( 2 - aminophenoxy ) ethane - n , n , n ′, n ′- tetraacetic acid tetrakis ( acetoxymethyl ester ), trans - 1 , 2 - diaminocyclohexane - tetraacetic acid , and diethyllenetriamine - pentaacetic acid , trimethylaminetricarboxylic acid , poly ( aspartic acid ), and poly ( glutamic acid ). there are numerous known methods of preparing a time - release formulation , and all of the known methods are contemplated suitable for use in conjunction with the teachings herein . particularly contemplated time release formulations include ion exchange resins , encapsulations with acid or base resistant coatings , compacting the formulation to control solvation , slow - melting carriers , enzyme - degradable carriers , etc . with respect to the dosage of contemplated compositions , it is contemplated that the rti is present in a single dose in a concentration such that the viral titer is reduced at least 20 % over a period of at least 6 hours , more at least 30 % over a period of at least 8 hours , and most preferably at least 45 % over a period of at least 12 hours . furthermore , it is contemplated that where contemplated compositions further comprise a chelating agent , the chelating agent is present in a single dose in a concentration such that the serum mg 2 + and / or ca 2 + concentration is reduced at least 20 % over a period of at least 6 hours , more preferably at least 35 % over a period of at least 12 hours , and most preferably at least 45 % over a period of at least 12 hours . with respect to the administration of contemplated compositions , it should be recognized that various protocols are suitable , and especially contemplated protocols include oral , topical , and parenteral administration . consequently , the formulation of contemplated compositions may vary substantially , however , it is preferred that the rti is administered in approved and / or known formulations . thus , specific embodiments and applications of time release rtis have been disclosed . it should be apparent , however , to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein . the inventive subject matter , therefore , is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended contemplated claims . moreover , in interpreting both the specification and the contemplated claims , all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context . in particular , the terms “ comprises ” and “ comprising ” should be interpreted as referring to elements , components , or steps in a non - exclusive manner , indicating that the referenced elements , components , or steps may be present , or utilized , or combined with other elements , components , or steps that are not expressly referenced .