[Hevizos ointment efficacy in view of molecular pharmacology]

The antiviral effect of 5-isopropyl-2'-deoxyuridine (IPDU) on herpes viruses (HSV-1 and HSV-2) is based on the sensitivity of virus DNA to nucleases due to IPDU incorporation into the virus DNA and the resulting change in DNA conformation. Virus selectivity is based on virus induced thymidine kinase activity and on HSV induction of polymerase enzymes catalyzing the incorporation. Hevizos ointment containing IPDU has the following advantageous pharmacokinetic properties: high accumulation in the skin, high resistance to phosphorylases and other metabolizing enzymes.