Description
Indications –
*Herpes simplex infection (1000 mg daily)
*Herpes zoster infection in immunocompetent adults (1 g orally tid for 7 days)
*Genital herpes in immunocompetent adults (500 mg bid for 5 days)
*Episodic treatment of recurrent genital herpes (3 days)
*Suppressive therapy (Once a day)
*Prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus (CMV) (1000 mg once daily or 500 mg twice daily
Benefits –
*A pro-drug of acyclovir which is extensively and almost completely converted to acyclovir
*Achieves significantly greater plasma concentration of acyclovir than that with oral doses of acyclovir itself
*Effective with lower and less-frequent does of valacyclovir than that of acyclovir
*Useful even in acyclovir- resistant cases
*Ensures better compliance (3 time daily) than acyclovir (5 times daily)
