The U.S. FDA-approved Acyclovir to treat people with herpes simplex virus infections, chicken pox, and shingles on December 30, 2002. 

Acyclovir injection is an antiviral medication that is used to treat chickenpox (contagious infection with an itchy rash and fluid-filled blisters), shingles (blistering, painful rash affecting one side of the body), and herpes infections (cold sores, genital herpes). Additionally, this injection is used to prevent the reoccurring of these conditions and prevents infections in people with low disease resistance. 

Acyclovir is administered as an intravenous infusion into the vein. If this injection is recommended for you, it will be given by a healthcare professional. Do not self-administrate. Your physician will choose the dosage and administration frequency based on the medical condition because it differs for each person. 

The most common side effects of Acyclovir are nausea, vomiting, rash, itching,  sensitivity to light,  redness, and swelling at the injection site. 

Serious side effects while taking Acyclovir are severe allergy, breathing problems, and swelling of the face.

Do not consume this medicine if allergic to Acyclovir or Valaciclovir and its other ingredients. Before starting the treatment, inform your physician if you have a kidney condition. Speak to your physician if you are on a low-sodium diet or dehydrated (extremely thirsty). Notify your doctor if you are with the age of 65 years or a child. 

Notify your physician if you think you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant or breastfeeding. Notify your doctor if you consume any other medicine with an Axovir 250mg injection. Driving while taking an Axovir 250mg injection may impair your ability to concentrate by causing tiredness and drowsiness. Consult your doctor for more information. Dose adjustments might be made to the child patients and kidney patients. 

Inform your doctor if you consume any medicine. Stick to the recommended dosage and complete the full cycle of treatment, even if your symptoms improve before the treatment period ends. Practice safe sex. Connect with your physician if you have any questions, doubts, or concerns about the medicine. Keep Axovir 250mg Injection out of sight and reach of children. Do not store above 25°C.

1. Goodman & Gilman’s, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, Antiviral agents (Nonretroviral), 12th edition, 2011, 1594.
2. KD Tripathi, Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, Antiviral drugs, 7th edition, 2013, 799.
3. Wockhardt UK Limited, Electronic medicines compendium (emc), [ Revised on Feb 2018] [ Accessed on  15th May 2023], https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/files/pil.6175.pdf
4. GlaxoSmithKline, US Food and Drug Administration, [ Revised on Nov 2003] [ Accessed on 15th May 2023], https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2004/18603slr027_zovirax_lbl.pdf

The drug information on this page is not a substitute for medical advice. It is meant for educational purposes only. For further details, consult your doctor about your medical condition to know if you are eligible to receive this treatment.