At what dose is the Acyclovir-Akos medication prescribed? Instructions for use of these tablets will be presented below. You will also learn about why this tool is used, whether it has side effects and contraindications, what is included in its composition, and in which package it goes on sale.
Composition, description, packaging of the drug
What are the components of Acyclovir-Akos (tablets)? Instructions for use states that the active ingredient in this medicine is acyclovir. Also, its composition includes additional ingredients in the form of talc, magnesium stearate and potato starch.
"Acyclovir-Akos" - tablets (patient reviews will be described later) are flat-cylindrical white with a risk and a bevel. The drug goes on sale in contour cells, which are placed in cardboard packaging. Also, this medication can be found in dark glass jars.
Pharmacological properties of the drug
How does Acyclovir-Akos (tablets) work? Instructions for use states that it is an antiherpetic antiviral agent. This drug is a synthetic analogue of purine nucleoside. It is able to inhibit the replication of herpes simplex viruses , cytomegalovirus, as well as Epstein-Barr and Varicella zoster viruses .
Features of the medication
According to experts, Acyclovir-Akos, whose reviews are mostly positive, shows good activity against viruses that cause shingles and chicken pox.
After taking the medication, phosphorylation begins in infected cells. Acyclovir is converted to acyclovir monophosphate. Under the influence of guanylate cyclase, the latter is converted to diphosphate, which, in turn, is converted to triphosphate.
The selective effect of the drug on viruses, as well as its low toxicity to the body, is due to the fact that its active substance is not a substrate for the thymidine kinase enzyme. In this regard, it is not toxic to mammalian cells.
After the conversion of acyclovir to acyclovir triphosphate, it inhibits the synthesis of viral DNA by 3 mechanisms:
- replaces deoxyguanosine triphosphate;
- integrates into the DNA chain, and then stops its extension;
- inhibits herpes simplex DNA, etc.
As a result of such exposure, the reproduction of the virus ceases.
The effectiveness of acyclovir is also due to its accumulation in cells that are already infected with the virus. With herpes, the drug prevents the formation of new rashes, and also accelerates wound healing, reduces pain and has an immunostimulating effect.
Pharmacokinetic indicators of antiherpetic tablets
Where does the absorption of the drug Acyclovir-Akos? Instructions for use informs that after oral administration it is absorbed in a small amount from the intestine. In this case, such concentrations (dose-dependent) are formed that are quite sufficient for the effective treatment of viral diseases.
Food has almost no effect on the absorption of the active substance. With increasing doses, the bioavailability of the drug decreases.
The maximum concentration of the drug after oral administration in an amount of 200 mg 5 times a day is 0.75 μg / ml, and the minimum is 0.45 μg / ml. These values are noted after two hours.
The active substance binds to plasma proteins by 10-35%. It penetrates the blood-brain barrier, as well as in almost all tissues and organs (lungs, brain, lacrimal fluid, kidneys, intestines, liver, muscles, aqueous humor, breast milk, sperm, spleen, amniotic fluid, uterus, secretions and mucous membranes vagina, as well as the contents of herpetic vesicles).
The drug metabolism is carried out in the liver. This forms a metabolite called 9-carboxymethoxymethylguanine.
The medication is excreted through the kidneys (62-91% of the dose taken) and through the digestive tract. Also, trace amounts of the drug are also determined in the air exhaled by the patient.
When taking the drug inside, its half-life (in adults) is 3.4 hours, and in children (1-18 years) - 2.4 hours. Thus, it can be safely noted that the rate of drug elimination slows with age.
Indications for the use of the medication
When is Acyclovir-Akos prescribed? The use of this drug is indicated for the prevention and treatment of infections that are caused by the Varicella zoster and Herpes simplex viruses (types 2 and 1). Thus, this medication effectively fights:
- herpes simplex on the skin and mucous membranes (recurrent and primary);
- herpes zoster;
- genital herpes (primary and recurrent);
- herpes zoster;
- chicken pox (on the first day after the rash appears).
It should also be noted that this drug is actively prescribed to patients with severe immunodeficiency (for example, in HIV-infected people, after transplantation and while taking immunosuppressive medications).
Contraindications
In what cases is it forbidden to use Acyclovir-Akos (tablets)? The instruction indicates the following contraindications:
- children's age (up to three years);
- hypersensitivity to the active substance, as well as to valaciclovir.
With extreme caution, this medication is prescribed during pregnancy, renal failure and dehydration, as well as during breastfeeding.
The drug "Acyclovir-Akos": how to take adults?
Tablets should be taken orally, regardless of food, with a glass of plain water.
Adults for the treatment of herpes simplex on the mucous membranes and skin are prescribed 200 mg of the drug five times a day. You should take the medicine every four hours (except for sleep).
Typically, the duration of therapy with such a drug is five days. But if necessary, it can be extended (according to the doctor’s recommendations).
In the treatment of people with immunodeficiency, a single dosage of the drug is increased to 400 mg, and the duration of the course is up to ten days or more.
Adult patients with genital herpes are recommended to take 200 mg of the drug five times a day (every four hours) for 10 days (if necessary, therapy can be extended). Treatment should be started as soon as possible after the first signs of infection. If relapses occur, then the drug is prescribed already in the prodromal period.
To prevent recurrence of infections that were caused by the herpes simplex virus, the medication is prescribed 200 mg four times a day (every six hours). People with normal immunity can use the drug in an amount of 400 mg twice a day (every 12 hours). With severe immunodeficiency, the dosage remains the same, but the frequency increases up to five times a day.
Recurrent genital herpes (less than six times a year) requires the following treatment regimen: 200 mg five times a day for five days. If the episodes are repeated more than six times a year, then the patient is prescribed 400 mg of the drug twice a day for 12 months. The duration of prophylaxis is usually determined by the length of the period when there is a risk of infection.
When treating herpes zoster or depriving, the patient is prescribed 800 mg of the drug five times a day (every four hours) for 7-10 days.
The maximum single dose of this medication is 800 mg.
People taking high doses of the drug should get plenty of fluids.
"Acyclovir-Akos" (tablets): instructions for children
For children, whose age has reached three years, this medication should be prescribed only by experienced pediatricians. As a rule, dosages for them are similar to dosages for adults.
For the treatment of chicken pox, children over six are given 800 mg of the drug four times a day, and for a child aged 3-6 years old, 400 mg four times a day. For a more accurate dosage, doctors use the following formula: 20 mg per kg of baby weight. Taking medication more than 800 mg four times a day is prohibited.
The duration of therapy in young patients is five days.
In people with impaired renal function, dose adjustment, as well as frequency of administration, is required. It depends on the type of infection and the size of creatinine clearance.
Side effects after taking the pills
The medicine "Acyclovir-Akos" very rarely causes side effects. But, according to the instructions, they still have a place to be.
- Nausea, increased bilirubin, diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, reversible increase in liver enzyme activity.
- Acute renal failure, increased levels of creatinine in the blood and urea.
- Leukopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia.
- Headache, hallucinations, reversible neurological disorders, confusion, dizziness, paresthesia, drowsiness, coma, convulsions.
- Rash, shortness of breath, photosensitivity, angioedema, urticaria, fever, pruritus, lymphadenopathy, anaphylaxis, agitation, visual impairment, peripheral edema, myalgia.
- Fatigue, alopecia.
It should also be noted that in people who receive antiretroviral drugs, the additional use of the drug “Acyclovir-Akos” does not cause a significant increase in toxic effects.
Special recommendations for the use of antiherpetic drugs
What you need to know before taking Acyclovir-Akos (tablets)? The instruction states that prolonged or repeated treatment of people with reduced immune status can lead to the formation of strains of viruses that are insensitive to its action.
Clinical studies on the safety of the use of this medication during pregnancy have not been conducted. In this regard, the use of the drug "Acyclovir-Akos" is shown only in cases where the possible benefits to the mother significantly exceed the possible risk to the fetus.
During treatment with high oral dosages, the patient needs to drink enough water.
During breastfeeding, the medication is prescribed only in extreme cases and in a short course. This is due to the fact that the drug in small quantities passes into breast milk.
Acyclovir-Akos does not prevent sexual transmission of herpes. In this regard, during treatment, the patient should refrain from sexual intercourse.
Patient reviews about the drug
Now you know how and why the drug “Acyclovir-Akos” is prescribed. Instructions for use of this tool have been described in detail above.
According to the reviews of most patients, the medication in question effectively manifests itself with herpetic eruptions. If you take a pill immediately after detecting the first signs of herpes, then the patient will recover much faster.
It should also be noted that Acyclovir-Akos effectively treats shingles and chicken pox.
In addition to therapy, this medication is often used as a prophylactic. Its proper use helps to reduce the number of relapses to a minimum.
Drug price
It should also be said that in addition to high efficiency, the medicine “Acyclovir-Akos” pleases patients with its rather low cost. You can buy 20 antiherpetic tablets for 30-40 Russian rubles. The indicated amount is quite enough for a whole course of treatment.
By the way, analogues of this drug have the same low price.