Use of cimetidine to enhance systemic acyclovir concentrations in patients with ineffective suppressive therapy for recurring herpes simplex virus infections: A novel purpose for an old drug
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) may cause recurring oral or genital ulcers. We report a series of patients nonresponsive to suppressive valacyclovir therapy, explained by subtherapeutic acyclovir plasma levels. After a dose increase, or in some patients only after concomitant prescription of cimetidine, adequate levels were reached associated with significant clinical improvement.
Authors
- Teun van Gelder (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5980-6947)
- Sandra M. Arend (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0524-4333)
- Dominique G. Stuijt (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8468-2883)
- Amira Osman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2335-1877)
- Victor M. Cnossen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-5529-2839)
Institutions
- Leiden University Medical Center (NL)
- Centre for Human Drug Research (NL)
Publication Details
- Journal
- British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
- Published
- 2025-10-09
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/bcp.70313
- Primary Topic
- Herpesvirus Infections and Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00