Attached to each sugar ring is a nucleotide base, one of the four bases Adenine (A), Guanine (G), Cytosine (C), and Thymine (T). The first two (A, G) are examples of a purine which contains a six atom ring and five atom ring sharing two atoms. The second two (C, T) are examples of a pyrimidine which is composed of a single six atom ring. A base pair is one of the pairs A-T or C-G. Notice that each base pair consists of a purine and a pyrimidine. The nucleotides in a base pair are complementary which means their shape allows them to bond together with hydrogen bonds. The A-T pair forms two hydrogen bonds. The C-G pair forms three.
Tamiflu is an antiviral medication used to treat flu symptoms caused by influenza. Learn about side effects, interactions and indications.
The antiviral medicines oseltamivir and zanamivir are used to prevent and treat influenza A and B infections. They can reduce the severity and shorten the duration of flu symptoms. Amantadine and rimantadine have been used to help prevent and treat the flu caused by influenza A (but not influenza B) infection. But for the past few years the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has advised doctors not to use amantadine or rimantadine to treat or prevent the flu. 5 These medicines have not worked against most types of the flu virus.