Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ACYCLOVIR versus DENDRID.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: ACYCLOVIR versus DENDRID.
ACYCLOVIR vs DENDRID
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.
Dendrid (idoxuridine) is a pyrimidine nucleoside analog that inhibits viral DNA replication by incorporating into viral DNA and inhibiting thymidylate synthetase, thereby blocking DNA synthesis.
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.
1.5 mg/kg IV every 8 hours; typical adult dose 100 mg IV every 8 hours.
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 elimination half-life is approximately 3-4 hours in adults with normal renal function; prolonged in renal impairment
Renal excretion of unchanged drug via glomerular filtration and tubular secretion accounts for 62-90% of elimination. Fecal elimination is <2%.
Primarily renal excretion; unchanged drug accounts for 70-90% of elimination; minor biliary/fecal excretion (<10%)
Category A/B
Category C
Antiviral
Antiviral