Idoxuridine in the treatment of herpes zoster

An uncontrolled, double-blind, random-selection study of fifty consecutive patients with attacks of herpes zoster treated with one of two concentrations (5 per cent or 40 per cent) of idoxuridine (IDU) in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) has shown that, over all, the patients fared better than would have been expected had they been treated only symptomatically. There was no apparent difference between the two concentrations of idoxuridine in regard to either side-effects or benefits. In 17 of the fifty patients the skin lesions healed more rapidly than would have been expected without treatment, and pain was relieved more rapidly than expected in 26 of the 47 patients in whom it was a feature of the attack. Side-effects, which included a transient stinging or burning sensation in 29 patients and acute sensitivity to idoxuridine (confirmed by patch-testing) in one, did not lead to withdrawal of any patient from the trial. Three patients complained of an unpleasant, garlicky taste during treatment. No significant abnormalities were noted in liver-function tests and in white-cell or platelet counts in patients in either treatment group. The solutions of idoxuridine in dimethyl sulphoxide were provided by W.B. Pharmaceutical Ltd.