| Parameters | Description |
|---|---|
| Category of Drug | Antiviral Drugs Read more about Which are the popular medicines prescribed for viral infections? |
| Chemical formula | C8H11N5O3 |
| Pharmacokinetic properties | 1. The oral bioavailability – 10-20%; decreases with increasing doses. 2. The bioavailability is not affected by food. 3. mean Tmax of 1.1±0.4 hours, 4. mean Cmax of 593.7-656.5ng/mL, 5. mean AUC of 2956.6-3102.5h*ng/mL 6. Vd- 0.6L/kg. 7. protein binding- 9-33% |
| Mechanism of Action | It gets converted to acyclovir monophosphate by viral thymidine kinase and then undergoes a series of reactions by various enzymes to form acyclovir triphosphate. This form is more selective to the viral DNA polymerase than the cellular DNA and gets incorporated into the former resulting in viral DNA chain termination. |
| Indications | Acyclovir is used for 1. treatment of Herpes simplex keratitis 2. Long term suppression of skin infections in Herpes simplex as well as mucous membrane, prophylaxis in immunocompromised patients 3. Herpes zoster treatment |
| Well Known Pharmaceutical Brands | 1. Acivir-Cipla 2. Zovirax- GSK 3. Ocuvir- FDC |
| Available dosage forms | Tablets Suspension Infusion Ointment Drops Cream  |
| Dose | herpes simplex treatment: 200 mg five times daily usually for 5 days |
| Contraindications | Hypersensitivity |
| Precautions | 1. Maintain adequate hydration 2. Monitor neutrophil count at least twice weekly in neonates 3. Renal impairment 4. Pregnancy 5. not to be applied to the mucous membrane |
| Adverse Effects | 1. Nausea 2. Vomiting 3. Abdominal pain 4. Diarrhoea 5. Headache 6. Fatigue 7. Rash 8. Urticaria 9. Photosensitivity 10. Hepatitis 11. Jaundice 12. Dyspnoea 13. Neurological reactions 14. Acute renal failure 15. Anaemia 16. Thrombocytopenia and leucopenia |
| Storage condition | Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. |
| Pregnancy Category | B |
References
- National formulary
- Uses
- Uses-2
- Dosage
- pharmacokinetic properties
- storage condition
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