acyclovir

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Clipping of acycloguanosine + -vir. From being an antiviral (-vir) containing less cyclic structure ("a-"cyclic) than the naturally occurring analogue from which it is based, guanosine. This is analyzable as a- + cyclo- + -vir.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /eɪˈsʌɪkləvɪə/, /eɪˈsɪkləvɪə/
  • (US) enPR: ā sī' klō vēr, IPA(key): /eɪ ˈsaɪ kloʊ viɹ/

Noun

acyclovir (usually uncountable, plural acyclovirs)

  1. (pharmacology) An antiviral drug used in the treatment of genital herpes. [from 20th c.]
    • 1997, Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind, Folio Society 2016, p. 443:
      In cells infected with the herpes virus, acyclovir is converted to a metabolic blocking agent, thereby largely overcoming the old and plaguing problem of toxicity to the host.

Synonyms

Translations

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