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Related Concept Videos

Retroviruses02:33

Retroviruses

Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
Drug Dosage Regimen: Overview01:15

Drug Dosage Regimen: Overview

A drug dosage regimen describes the specific instructions and schedule for administering a drug to a patient. It considers factors such as drug dosage, frequency, route of administration, and duration of treatment. Designing an appropriate dosage regimen for a patient aims to achieve a target drug concentration at the site of action.
Typically, the starting dose and dosing interval are guided by the manufacturer's recommendations based on clinical trials conducted during and after drug...
Subviral Agents01:29

Subviral Agents

Subviral agents are infectious entities that resemble viruses but lack one or more viral components, such as a capsid or essential replication machinery. These agents include viroids, prions, and satellites, each possessing distinct structural and functional characteristics that influence their mode of infection and replication.Viroids are the simplest subviral agents, consisting of circular, single-stranded RNA molecules without a protein coat. They exclusively infect plants, relying entirely...
Cytomegalovirus Disease01:27

Cytomegalovirus Disease

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis01:30

Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis

Protein synthesis is indispensable for viral replication, as viruses lack the cellular machinery required for this process and must hijack the host's translational apparatus. In response, host cells deploy a critical innate immune defense involving interferons, specialized cytokines that play a central role in inhibiting viral propagation.Upon viral detection, infected cells release interferons that bind to receptors on adjacent uninfected cells, activating the JAK-STAT signaling pathway and...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 12, 2026

A Primary Neuron Culture System for the Study of Herpes Simplex Virus Latency and Reactivation
12:22

A Primary Neuron Culture System for the Study of Herpes Simplex Virus Latency and Reactivation

Published on: April 2, 2012

Drugs five years later: acyclovir.

D I Dorsky1, C S Crumpacker

  • 1Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.

Annals of Internal Medicine
|December 1, 1987
PubMed
Summary

Acyclovir is a safe and effective antiviral medication for herpes simplex and varicella-zoster infections. It works by inhibiting viral DNA replication, with rare resistance and a good safety profile.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Acyclovir (9-[2-hydroxyethoxymethyl]guanine) has been clinically available for five years.
  • It is used to treat herpes simplex and varicella-zoster virus infections.
  • Available in topical, oral, and intravenous forms, it offers versatile clinical application.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy and safety of acyclovir in treating viral infections.
  • To describe the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and clinical uses of acyclovir.
  • To assess the incidence of drug resistance and adverse effects.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical studies and pharmacological data on acyclovir.
  • Analysis of acyclovir's mechanism of action, including its selective phosphorylation by viral thymidine kinase.

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  • Evaluation of pharmacokinetic properties, including absorption, distribution, and renal clearance.
  • Review of clinical trial data regarding efficacy in various herpesvirus infections and safety profiles.

    • Main Results:

    • Acyclovir demonstrates high efficacy and safety in treating herpes simplex and varicella-zoster infections.
    • Its mechanism involves specific inhibition of viral DNA replication.
    • Poor response observed in Epstein-Barr virus and human cytomegalovirus infections.
    • Excellent safety profile, with transient creatinine elevations as the primary adverse effect during high-dose IV administration.
    • Rare instances of acyclovir resistance in herpes simplex virus.

    Conclusions:

    • Acyclovir is a cornerstone therapy for herpes simplex and varicella-zoster infections due to its efficacy and safety.
    • Its targeted mechanism and favorable pharmacokinetic profile support its widespread clinical use.
    • Ongoing monitoring for resistance and adverse effects is important, though resistance remains rare.