5'-Ethynyl-2'-deoxycytidine (EdC) functions as a nucleoside analog effectively inhibiting the replication of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) KOS strain with an ID50 of 0.2 μg mL. Additionally, it decreases virus-induced cytopathogenic effects in PRK cells for HSV-1, HSV-2, and vaccinia virus strains, demonstrating MIC values between 0.2 to 5 μg mL. EdC acts as a thymidylate synthetase inhibitor, selectively impacting the DNA incorporation rates of [1',2'-3H]deoxyuridine compared to [CH3-3H]deoxythymidine in PRK cells with ID50s of 3 and 120 μg mL, respectively. It further inhibits thymidine synthetase and curtails L1210 cell proliferation, a process reversible by deoxythymidine (ID50s are 4.4 and 1,000 μg mL, respectively). Also, EdC is utilized in monitoring DNA synthesis and cellular replication through click chemistry conjugation, linking its ethynyl group with the azido group of various fluorochromes.