Pharmacologic Substance
acyclovir Audio
a·cy·clo·vir [ ey-sahy-kloh-veer, -kluh- ]
Brand Names:
Sitavig; Xerese; Zovirax
Effect:
Decreased DNA Replication
May Prevent:
Chickenpox; Cytomegalovirus Infections; Herpes Simplex; Herpes Zoster
May Treat:
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; Chickenpox; Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections; Herpes Genitalis; Herpes Labialis; Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus
More Information:
ChemID; DrugBank; DailyMed; PDR
Definitions related to acyclovir:
  • 9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl) guanine; acts against herpesviruses by inhibiting the viral DNA polymerase.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • A GUANOSINE analog that acts as an antimetabolite. Viruses are especially susceptible. Used especially against herpes.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2021
  • A substance used to prevent or treat cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex infections that may occur when the body is immunosuppressed. It belongs to the family of drugs called antivirals.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • A synthetic analog of the purine nucleoside, guanosine, with potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses type 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus and other viruses of the herpesvirus family. After conversion in vivo to the active metabolite acyclovir triphosphate by viral thymidine kinase, acyclovir competitively inhibits viral DNA polymerase by incorporating into the growing viral DNA chain and terminating further polymerization.
    NCI Thesaurus
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • Acyclovir, antiviral drug used to control the symptoms of infections involving herpes simplex virus (HSV), which causes herpes simplex, or varicella-zoster virus (VZV; a type of herpesvirus), which causes shingles and chickenpox. Acyclovir was first discovered in the mid-1970s and is effective...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2020
Try this search on: Farlex, Merriam-Webster, Oxford Dictionary, or Wordnik

This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.