Bioavailability of aciclovir after oral administration of aciclovir and its prodrug valaciclovir to patients with leukopenia after chemotherapy

Abstract

The median bioavailabilities of aciclovir after administration of aciclovir and its prodrug valaciclovir were 21.5 and 70.1%, respectively, in 12 patients with malignant hematological diseases with leukopenia after chemotherapy. The interindividual variations of the bioavailability were 48.5 and 21.0% after administration of aciclovir and valaciclovir, respectively. Neither the bioavailability nor the interindividual variation of area under the concentration-time curve of oral aciclovir or valaciclovir differed from that reported in healthy volunteers.

Figures

FIG. 1

AUCs of aciclovir in relationship to patient age. (a) Aciclovir (400 mg) given as a 1-h infusion (rs = 0.91, P < 0.0001); (b) oral administration of 400 mg of aciclovir (rs = 0.18, P = 0.59); (c) oral administration of 500 mg of valaciclovir (rs = 0.68, P = 0.015).