Patient leaflet - Aciclovir 200 mg tablets
1. What Aciclovir is and what it is used for
Aciclovir 200 mg Tablets and Aciclovir 400 mg Tablets (called 'Aciclovir' in this leaflet) contain a medicine called aciclovir. This belongs to a group of medicines called antivirals. It works by killing or stopping the growth of viruses.
Aciclovir can be used to:
Ÿ treat chickenpox and shingles
Ÿ treat cold sores, genital herpes and other
herpes simplex infections
Ÿ stop these problems returning after you have
had them
Ÿ stop these problems in people whose immune
systems work less well, which means their bodies are less able to fight infections.
2. What you need to know before you take Aciclovir
Do not use Aciclovir:
Ÿ if you are allergic to aciclovir or valaciclovir or
any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in Section 6).
Do not take Aciclovir if the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Aciclovir.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Aciclovir if:
Ÿ you have kidney problems
Ÿ you are over 65 years of age.
If you are not sure if the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Aciclovir.
It is important that you drink plenty of water while taking Aciclovir.
Other medicines and Aciclovir
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription, including herbal medicines.
In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines: Ÿ probenecid, used to treat gout
Ÿ cimetidine, used to treat stomach ulcers Ÿ mycophenolate mofetil, used to stop your
body rejecting transplanted organs.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before using any medicine.
Driving and using machines
Some side effects such as feeling drowsy or sleepy may impair your ability to concentrate and react. Make sure you are not affected before you drive or operate machinery.
Important information about the contents of Aciclovir Tablets
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per dosage unit, that is to say essentially 'sodium-free'.
3. How to take Aciclovir
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Taking this medicine
Ÿ Take this medicine by mouth.
Ÿ Dissolve the tablet in a glass of water and stir
before drinking.
Ÿ If you prefer, the tablet can also be swallowed
whole with a little water.
Ÿ Start to take Aciclovir as soon as possible.
The dose that you should take will depend on what you have been given Aciclovir for. Your doctor will discuss this with you. An 800 mg tablet is also available.
Treatment of chickenpox and shingles
Ÿ The usual dose is two 400 mg tablets taken
five times a day.
Ÿ You should space each dose by 4 hours. Suggested times are: 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm and 11pm.
Ÿ You should take Aciclovir for seven days.
Treatment of cold sores and genital herpes
Ÿ The usual dose is one 200 mg tablet taken
five times a day.
Ÿ You should space each dose by 4 hours.
Suggested times are: 7am, 11am, 3pm, 7pm and 11pm.
Ÿ You should take Aciclovir for five days, or longer if your doctor tells you to.
Stopping these problems returning after you have had them
Ÿ The usual dose is one 200 mg tablet taken four times a day.
Ÿ You should try to space each dose by 6 hours. Ÿ You should take Aciclovir until your doctor tells you to stop.
Stopping these problems in people whose immune systems work less well and whose bodies are less able to fight infections
Ÿ The usual dose is one 200 mg taken four times a day.
Ÿ You should try to space each dose by 6 hours. Ÿ You should take Aciclovir until your doctor tells you to stop.
Your doctor may adjust the dose of Aciclovir if:
Ÿ it is for a child
Ÿ you are over 65 years of age
Ÿ you have kidney problems. If you have kidney problems, it is important to drink plenty of water while you are being treated with Aciclovir.
Talk to your doctor before taking Aciclovir if any of the above apply.
If you take more Aciclovir than you should
Aciclovir is not usually harmful, unless you take too much over several days. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you take too much Aciclovir. Take the medicine pack with you.
If you forget to take Aciclovir
Ÿ If you forget to take Aciclovir, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is nearly time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Ÿ Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The following side effects may happen with this medicine:
Allergic reactions (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
If you have an allergic reaction, stop taking Aciclovir and see a doctor straight away. The signs may include:
Ÿ rash, itching or hives on your skin
Ÿ swelling of your face, lips, tongue or other parts of your body
Ÿ shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing
Ÿ collapse
Other side effects include:
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people) Ÿ headache
Ÿ feeling dizzy
Ÿ feeling or being sick
Ÿ diarrhoea
Ÿ stomach pains
Ÿ rash
Ÿ skin reaction after exposure to light
(photosensitivity)
Ÿ itching
Ÿ feeling tired
Ÿ unexplained fever (high temperature) and feeling faint, especially when standing up.
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people) Ÿ itchy, hive-like rash
Ÿ hair loss.
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people) Ÿ effects on some blood and urine tests Ÿ increases in the enzymes that work in the liver.
Very rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people) Ÿ reduced numbers of red blood cells (anaemia) Ÿ reduced numbers of white blood cells
(leukopenia)
Ÿ reduced numbers of blood platelets (cells that help blood to clot) (thrombocytopenia) Ÿ feeling weak
Ÿ feeling agitated or confused
Ÿ shaking or tremors
Ÿ hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren't there)
Ÿ fits
Ÿ feeling unusually sleepy or drowsy Ÿ unsteadiness when walking and lack of coordination
Ÿ difficulty speaking
Ÿ inability to think or judge clearly
Ÿ unconsciousness (coma)
Ÿ paralysis of part or all of your body Ÿ disturbances of behaviour, speech and eye movements
Ÿ stiff neck and sensitivity to light
Ÿ inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) Ÿ yellowing of your skin and whites of your eyes
(jaundice)
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Ÿ kidney problems where you pass little or no urine
Ÿ pain in your lower back, the kidney area of your back or just above your hip (renal pain).
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Aciclovir
Ÿ Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Ÿ Do not store above 30°C.
Ÿ Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after Exp. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Ÿ Do not throw away any medicines via
wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Aciclovir contains
Ÿ The active substance is aciclovir.
Each tablet contains either 200 mg or 400 mg aciclovir.
Ÿ The other ingredients are microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycollate Type A, povidone K30 and magnesium stearate.
What Aciclovir looks like and contents of the pack
Aciclovir 200 mg Tablets are supplied to you in cartons containing 25 tablets in aluminium foil strips. They are white, round, biconvex tablets marked “200” on one side.
Aciclovir 400 mg Tablets are supplied to you in cartons containing 56 tablets in aluminium foil strips. They are white, round, biconvex tablets
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Dawa Ltd, 5 Sandridge Close, Harrow, Middlesex HA1 1XD
Manufacturer
Pharmaceutical Works POLPHARMA SA 19 Pelplinska Street, 83-200 Starogard Gdanski, Poland.
This leaflet was last revised in January 2025.
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