Trisodium phosphonoformate (foscarnet) is a po¬tent antiviral agent for treating herpes simplex infec¬tions. It works by affecting
Trisodium phosphonoformate (foscarnet) inhibits herpes simplex virus (HSV) replication. Foscarnet is a potent inhibitor of HSV-induced DNA polymerase, and has little effect on known cellular DNA polymer­ases. Herpesvirus mutants resistant to the drug arise easily.
To a lesser extent, foscarnet also appears to inhibit the polymerase of hepatitis B virus and retroviruses.
Combinations of antivirals, including foscarnet, are currently prescribed to increase the clinical usefulness of the drugs.
The viral RNA polymerase
The viral DNA polymerase
The viral reverse transcriptase
The host-cellular DNA polymerase