The evolution of viral infections has pushed researchers constantly to find
new approaches to disseminate these infections. One such promising finding in this
aspect is 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), a glucose analogue that gained attention for its
potential as an antiviral agent effective against a variety of viral infections. The
antiviral properties of 2-DG are due to its ability to interfere with viral replication
within host cells, hence reducing the severity of infections. 2-DG is easily taken up by
cells as it mimics glucose-like structure but interferes with glycolysis and other
metabolic pathways. It also acts as a glycosylation inhibitor that helps in the disruption
of viral assembly. Viruses are obligate and utilize the host cell machinery for
proliferation. 2-DG mechanistically disrupts the energy supply by inhibiting the
glycolysis cycle and providing an unfavourable environment for viral replication. 2-DG
elicits broad-spectrum antiviral activity as it was found to be very effective against
different families of viruses. By interfering with this process, 2-DG not only interferes
with viral replication but also with the ability of the virus to enter host cells and evade
the immune system. Although 2-DG has shown some promising antiviral potential, it
also possesses some side effects as well. All the attributes related to the antiviral
potential of 2-DG have been discussed in this chapter.
Keywords: Antiviral, Glycosylation, Viral infections, 2-deoxy-D-glucose, 2-DG analogs.
