Acyclovir is a medication used to treat a range of conditions caused by viruses, especially herpes viruses. The medication is used to treat infections caused by the herpes simplex virus, such as oral and genital herpes, as well as shingles or chickenpox. It can also be prescribed to reduce the frequency of infection in people who suffer from recurrent herpes virus infections.
Acyclovir works by inhibiting the growth of the virus, which helps relieve the symptoms of the infection and reduce its severity and duration.