Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ACYCLOVIR versus APOGEN.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ACYCLOVIR versus APOGEN.
ACYCLOVIR vs APOGEN
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Acyclovir is a synthetic nucleoside analog that inhibits viral DNA replication. It is phosphorylated to acyclovir monophosphate by viral thymidine kinase, then converted to acyclovir triphosphate by cellular kinases. Acyclovir triphosphate competes with deoxyguanosine triphosphate for viral DNA polymerase, incorporating into viral DNA and causing chain termination.
Apocynin is a prodrug that is activated by peroxidases to form dimers that inhibit NADPH oxidase (NOX) enzyme complexes, reducing superoxide production. It also exhibits antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
400 mg orally twice daily for herpes zoster; 200 mg orally 5 times daily for genital herpes; 5-10 mg/kg intravenously every 8 hours for severe infections.
10 mg orally once daily, with or without food.
None Documented
None Documented
Clinical Note
moderateAcyclovir + Teriflunomide
"The serum concentration of Teriflunomide can be increased when it is combined with Acyclovir."
Clinical Note
moderateTizanidine + Acyclovir
"The serum concentration of Acyclovir can be increased when it is combined with Tizanidine."
Terminal elimination half-life is 2.5–3.3 hours in adults with normal renal function; increases to 19.5 hours in anuria.
Terminal half-life 3.5 hours; dose adjustment required in renal impairment (CrCl <30 mL/min).
Renal excretion of unchanged drug via glomerular filtration and tubular secretion accounts for 62-90% of elimination. Fecal elimination is <2%.
Renal: 90% unchanged; fecal: 10% as metabolites.
Category A/B
Category C
Antiviral
Antiviral