Composition, indications and contraindications
Cream and ointment for topical use containing the active ingredient acyclovir. Additional ingredients are presented:
- poloxamer 407;
- cetostearyl alcohol;
- sodium lauryl sulfate;
- white soft and liquid paraffin;
- dimethicone 20;
- propylene glycol;
- purified water;
- arlacelom 165.
The white or almost white mass has no lumps, grains, impurities of foreign substances or signs of separation.
The drug is used to treat infectious lesions of the face and lips caused by recurrent labial herpes. If you have a weakened immune system, the medicine is not prescribed; a doctor is consulted before therapy.
The medication is contraindicated in patients with registered allergies:
- to acyclovir;
- valacyclovir;
- propylene glycol;
- any excipient included in the ointment.
Before starting procedures, it is necessary to conduct a test for the development of a spontaneous allergic reaction. A small amount of the drug is applied to the inner surface of the elbow. If after 20 minutes there is no redness, blistering or itching on the skin, then the cream can be applied.
Dosages and methods of application
The medicine is used only externally:
- Adult patients - applied every 4 hours, up to 5 times a day. Treatment should be carried out with the first appearance of symptoms of the pathology, with redness of the skin. Therapy is also allowed if papules and vesicles appear on the dermis. The duration cannot exceed 4 days; in difficult cases, an increase to 10 days is allowed.
- Children - the lack of comprehensive research does not allow use by minors under 12 years of age. Therapeutic manipulations are carried out according to a standard algorithm.
To prevent transmission of infection, the patient should wash their hands with soap before applying the ointment and after treatment. Patients with renal or hepatic insufficiency do not require special dosage adjustments - the drug has insignificant systemic absorption.
Use for pregnant women is justified if the benefit to the mother exceeds the potential risk to the fetus. Studies have shown that taking acyclovir in different dosage forms did not cause congenital anomalies in children.
Restrictions on therapy are indicated only for nursing women, when using systemic agents with an active component. The choice of medication is decided by the doctor. Self-medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding is unacceptable due to the risk of allergic reactions to any medications, even previously used ones.
Zovirax for colds on the lips, cream 5% 5g
A country
Great Britain, United Kingdom
Country of origin may vary depending on product batch. Please check with the operator for detailed information when confirming your order.
Active substance
Acyclovir
Description
Zovirax cream is used to treat cold sores (herpes).
To achieve maximum effect, it is necessary to use Zovirax cream at the first signs of the disease: - Burning - Itching - Tingling - Sensation of tension - Redness* Zovirax cream is convenient to take with you thanks to its compact packaging (5g). * Instructions for medical use, RU No. P N014304/01 dated December 25, 2007
Compound
Active substance: acyclovir 5.00 g. Excipients: poloxamer 407 1.00 g, cetostearyl alcohol 6.75 g, white soft paraffin 11.50 g, sodium lauryl sulfate 0.75 g, liquid paraffin 5.00 g, glycerol monostearate 0.75 g, macrogol stearate 0.75 g, propylene glycol 40.00 g, dimethicone 1.00 g, purified water up to 100.00 g.
Product description
A homogeneous cream of white or almost white color, without small, large or foreign particles, without signs of separation.
pharmachologic effect
Acyclovir, an antiviral drug, is highly active in vitro against Herpes simplex virus (HSV) types 1 and 2. Low toxicity to mammalian host cells. After entering cells infected with the herpes virus, acyclovir is phosphorylated to the active compound acyclovir triphosphate. The first step of this process depends on the presence of the HSV-encoded thymidine kinase enzyme. Acyclovir triphosphate acts as an inhibitor and substrate of herpes-specific DNA polymerase, preventing further synthesis of viral DNA, without affecting normal cellular processes.
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacological studies have shown minimal systemic absorption with repeated use of acyclovir cream.
Indications for use
Treatment of viral infections caused by the Herpes simplex virus, lips and facial skin (recurrent herpes of the lips).
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to acyclovir, valacyclovir, propylene glycol or other components of the drug.
Use during pregnancy and lactation
Pregnancy: Use is only possible in cases where the expected benefit outweighs the potential and unknown risk, however, systemic exposure with topical application of the cream is very low. As a result of post-registration experience with the use of acyclovir, data were obtained containing information on the results of pregnancy in women receiving Zovirax in any dosage form. The data do not demonstrate an increase in the incidence of congenital malformations among patients treated with acyclovir compared with the general population, and no birth defects have been reported that are unique or have a consistent pattern of features suggestive of a common cause. Before use, if you are pregnant, or think you might be pregnant, or are planning a pregnancy, or while breastfeeding, you should consult your doctor. Lactation: Limited data show that with regular use the drug passes into breast milk. However, the dosage that a breastfed infant receives will be negligible.
Directions for use and doses
For external use only. Use the drug only according to the indications, method of administration and in the doses indicated in the instructions. Adults and children: The drug is recommended to be applied 5 times a day, approximately every 4 hours, with the exception of night time, to the affected and adjacent areas of the skin. It is important to start treatment as early as possible, preferably when the first signs and symptoms appear (in the prodromal period or with redness). Treatment can also begin at later stages (papule or blister). The duration of treatment is at least 4 days. If there is no healing, treatment can be continued for up to 10 days. If symptoms persist for more than 10 days, you should consult a doctor. To prevent the condition from worsening and to prevent the spread of infection, you must wash your hands before and after applying the drug, do not rub or touch the affected areas of the skin with a towel.
Side effect
Side effects are classified by organ system and frequency. The frequency of side effects is determined as follows: very often ≥ 1/10, often ≥ 1/100 and From the skin and subcutaneous tissues Uncommon - short-term burning, tingling in the areas where the drug was applied, slight dryness or peeling, itching; Rarely – redness; contact dermatitis after application, more often associated with a reaction to excipients than to acyclovir. Immune system disorders Very rare - immediate hypersensitivity reactions, including angioedema, urticaria. If you experience side effects listed in the instructions or they get worse, or you notice any other side effects not listed in the instructions, tell your doctor.
Overdose
Due to minimal systemic exposure, no adverse effects are expected to occur when taken orally or when applied topically to the entire contents of the consumer package of Zovirax Cream. You should consult a doctor if you suspect an overdose.
Interaction with other drugs
When used externally, no interactions with other drugs have been identified.
special instructions
Zovirax cream for external use should be used exclusively for herpes of the skin of the lips and face. It is not recommended to use on the mucous membranes of the mouth, eyes and vagina. Do not use for the treatment of genital herpes. Avoid getting the cream into your eyes. In case of severe manifestations of recurrent herpes, it is recommended to consult a doctor. Patients with herpes labialis should avoid transmitting the virus, especially if active lesions are present. Patients with immunodeficiency conditions are not recommended to use Zovirax cream for external use. Such patients should follow the doctor's recommendations when treating any infectious diseases. Patients with renal and hepatic insufficiency: Despite the fact that acyclovir is mainly excreted by the kidneys, the systematic absorption of acyclovir after external use is negligible. Accordingly, there is no need to change the dose in patients with renal or hepatic impairment
Release form
Cream for external use, 5%. 5 g of the drug in an aluminum tube with a screw-on plastic cap or 2 g in a plastic bottle with a dosing device, sealed with a plastic cap. An aluminum tube or plastic bottle is placed in a cardboard box along with instructions for medical use. Secondary packaging is allowed to have a first-opening control.
Storage conditions
Store at a temperature not exceeding 25 C. Do not freeze. Keep out of the reach of children
Best before date
In an aluminum tube - 3 years, in a plastic bottle with a dispensing device - 2 years. Do not use after the expiration date stated on the packaging.
Directions and overdose
The drug is intended for the treatment of herpes, which manifests itself on the skin of the face and lips. It is not used to treat the mucous membranes of the mouth or eyes, or genital herpes. The exception is Zovirax eye ointment.
The manufacturer recommends handling with extreme caution and avoiding contact of the composition with the organs of vision. Severe symptoms of a herpetic infection on the lips require additional consultation with a local doctor.
If an opening of the lesion is present, the patient must follow precautions to prevent accidental infection of bystanders. The patient should use separate care items, and do not forget to wash their hands before and after each manipulation.
Cetyl alcohol included in the composition can provoke the occurrence of local skin reactions - contact dermatitis, etc. The propylene glycol present becomes a source of local irritation on the skin.
The drug has no significant interactions with other medications. The medicine does not affect the speed of reactions and can be used when working with moving mechanisms and when driving a car.
No pronounced consequences of an overdose of ointment have been identified. Accidental ingestion or application of large volumes of medication did not cause serious complications. The appearance of non-standard reactions to the drug requires consultation with a doctor and replacement of the previously recommended therapy regimen.
Zovirax
Zovirax (acyclovir) is an antiviral drug. Effective against herpes simplex virus types 1 (lip blisters), 2 (genital herpes), 3 (varicella zoster virus, chickenpox and shingles), 4 (Epstein-Barr virus) and 5 (cytomegalovirus). Acyclovir provokes the formation of defective DNA viruses, resulting in the suppression of their reproduction. Zovirax is available in both external (cream, ointment) and internal (tablets, lyophilisate for preparing an injection solution) dosage forms. The drug has gained particular popularity in the treatment of herpes simplex virus type 1, which manifests itself as blisters on the lips. Until recently, treatment of infections caused by the herpes simplex virus was aimed solely at the symptoms and not at the cause of the disease. For these purposes, drying, analgesic, and cooling agents were used. There were the first attempts to use antiviral drugs (just remember the same oxolinic ointment), but the effectiveness of those drugs has not been proven to this day. With the entry into the pharmaceutical market of fundamentally new drugs that selectively act directly on the virus itself, the situation has changed radically. One such drug is Zovirax. This is an original pharmaceutical drug.
Despite the identical content of the active component (5%) with generics, Zovirax cream is created on an exclusive branded medicinal base, which ensures higher bioavailability of acyclovir, incl. in infected areas of the skin and mucous membranes. The active component of the drug is selectively absorbed by cells affected by viral infection, where it begins to suppress the process of viral replication. For severe diseases with a tendency to recur, Zovirax forms for internal use are used, and for rare relapses of infections caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1, it is enough to use external forms of the drug for local application. It should be realized that timely initiation of treatment greatly improves the prognosis. If therapeutic measures are started at an early stage of the disease (signs of this include itching, hyperemia, skin tightness, burning), then recovery will occur much faster. But even if you miss the moment and start treatment later, Zovirax shows better results than other drugs. The duration of treatment is determined by the doctor. In severe forms of herpetic infection, consultation with a doctor is required. Patients taking Zovirax tablets should consume increased amounts of fluid to avoid dehydration. External dosage forms of the drug are not subject to systemic absorption.
