acyclovir
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.
| Synonym: | aciclovir acycloguanosine |
|---|---|
| US brand name: | Zovirax |
| Foreign brand name: | Acicloftal Aclovir Cargosil Virorax |
| Abbreviation: | ACV |
| Code name: | BW-248U Wellcome-248U |
| Chemical structure: | 2-amino-1,9-dihydro-9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6H-purin-6-one 9-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]guanine |