Influenza is basically a viral disease and that too one such virus which has RNA as its core. As such, most antiviral drugs fail to work that much effectively on it. Also, there is another reason for the drugs not really working very properly on this disease and that question is entirely related to the disease having many strains of virus. The basic problem is that the flu can be caused by basically three types of viruses, the influenzavirus A, B and C. Now, the problem is that within these three, the a variety has three different strains to itself and these strains have been formed through gradual evolution and mutation of the genes of the same. Now therefore, if one vaccine or drug is effective against one strain then it is not effective against another. Therefore what happens is that, unless you determine which virus strain has attacked you, you cannot treat yourself. Once you determine, then you can get the proper medications and treat yourself free of the flu. Sometimes this too happens that the human virus combines with the animal viruses in a very lethal combination dn then affects both animals as well and humans. The recently spreading swine flu is a very important example of this as the influenza virus of pigs and man have combined together to form a new strain that is much more dangerous than any other strain of flu virus.

Also, no antibiotic works properly on the influenza viruses just because they are viruses and so if you do not have anything like pneumonia coupled with your flu then antibiotics cannot help. Antiviral medications that are available today can be effective to a certain extent but not all strains of virus respond to this treatment. The two most popular and most recommended antiviral drugs that you can try using to treat your condition are the neuraminidase group and the M2 protein group. Both these groups are basically inhibitor groups. However, its is widely believed that they are also toxic along with being helpful in the treatment. But the neuraminidase inhibitor is more preferred because it is highly effective and also slightly less toxic than the M2 one.

The neuraminidase inhibitor drug group basically includes the drugs oseltamivir and zanamivir. These two drugs help in inhibiting the spread and further growth of the virus in the body leading to the stalling of the disease. Basically during the 2000 epidemic of the flu, it was found that pregnant women were more often than not, affected in a severe rate and neuraminidase was the best medication. Since that time, since it was safe for pregnancy then it is bound to be safe for the normal human being. Also, this drug can help you against the most lethal and most virulent of all influenza viruses, virus A and B.