Aciclovir

Aciclovir is an antiviral medication used to treat infections caused by herpesviruses, including herpes simplex virus and varicella-zoster virus. It selectively inhibits viral DNA replication after activation inside infected cells.

Viral thymidine kinase: A herpesvirus enzyme that phosphorylates nucleosides and activates several antiviral drugs. It performs the first phosphorylation that preferentially activates aciclovir in infected cells.
Herpes simplex: Infections caused by herpes simplex viruses, including oral and genital herpes. Aciclovir treats outbreaks and can suppress recurrent HSV disease.
Valaciclovir: An orally absorbed prodrug that the body converts into aciclovir. It offers greater oral bioavailability while delivering the same active antiviral compound.
Herpesvirus latency: A persistent state in which a herpesvirus genome remains in host cells with little or no productive replication. Aciclovir acts on viral replication but cannot remove latent HSV or VZV genomes.
Acyclovir triphosphate: The active phosphorylated form of aciclovir that inhibits herpesvirus DNA synthesis. This metabolite competes with deoxyguanosine triphosphate and terminates viral DNA chains.
Genital herpes: A sexually transmitted infection most often caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 or type 1. Oral aciclovir can shorten episodes and reduce recurrences, though it does not eradicate latent virus.
Famciclovir: An oral prodrug converted into penciclovir, used against herpesvirus infections. It is an alternative oral treatment with a different active nucleoside analogue.
Postherpetic neuralgia: Persistent nerve pain that can continue after a shingles rash has healed. Antiviral treatment may limit acute shingles but does not reliably prevent this complication.
Viral DNA polymerase: An enzyme that copies a virus’s DNA genome during replication. Aciclovir triphosphate inhibits this enzyme far more strongly than human cellular DNA polymerases.
Herpes encephalitis: A severe brain infection, usually caused by herpes simplex virus type 1. Prompt intravenous aciclovir is standard treatment because untreated disease can be fatal.

Linked from 18 pages