ABSTRACT
Amantadine (1-adamantanamine hydrochloride) is a tricyclic amine compound that was first synthesized from its precursor adamantane in 1941. The drug is active against type A influenza viruses, but not B or C types, and has been useful for seasonal chemoprophylaxis, for outbreak control in institutionalized populations and as a therapeutic agent against infection with all strains of influenza A virus. However, its utility in the clinic has diminished drastically since about 1980 due to many, if not most, strains of influenza A being resistant to the drug.
