Valtrex vs. Acyclovir: What’s the Difference?

Wednesday, June 17 2009

If you have Herpes, you may already be familiar with Valtrex and Acyclovir, but aren’t sure which is the best for you. Both drugs accomplish essentially the same purpose, but there are a couple differences.

It can get a little confusing, but: Valtrex is the pharmaceutical name brand of Valacyclovir, which is a “prodrug.” This means that, once in the body, Valtrex is actually converted into Acyclovir by normal metabolic processes in the GI tract and liver. Unlike actual Acyclovir, Valacyclovir (in this case, Valtrex) is more rapidly absorbed. Valtrex usually is taken twice a day.

Acyclovir, a generic that often needs to be taken five times in a day, is cheaper than the brand name Valtrex, and is preferred by many Herpes sufferers because of the lower cost. Both drugs are designed to provide the same results, so the questions are:

How often do you want to take a drug (Valtrex twice a day or Acyclovir five times daily)?, and how much do you want to pay (Valtrex 500 mg costs about six times as much as Acyclovir 400 mg)?

Do the math, do your research, see what your doctor says, and once you’ve made your decision, order your Herpes suppression drug from a reputable online pharmacy.