How does ribavirin work?

Ribavirin: Ribavirin is an antiviral medication used with interferon to treat hepatitis c. It works by stopping the virus that causes hepatitis C from spreading inside the body. It is a prodrug, which when metabolized, interferes with viral replication.

Don't know: it it not clear how it works. weak on own, it works synergistically with other meds

Not Clear: Postulated Ribavirin’s roles in direct inhibition of hepatitis C viral replication, 1.inhibition of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, 2. induction of mutagen-esis to the threshold of error catastrophe, and immunomodulation. The molecular basis of ribavirin's antiviral activity against HCV has been impeded by the lack of available and efficient HCV culture systems and HCV replication.