# Aciclovir in Nigeria - Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/aciclovir/ - Drug class: Nucleoside analogue antiviral (Antivirals) - Also known as: Acyclovir, Zovirax, Aciclovir cream - Prescription required: yes - On the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines - Last updated: September 2026 ## Price in Nigeria Our sampled online listings held no stable aciclovir price this cycle, so we quote none. It sells as tablet packs (200-800 mg) and small 5-20 g tubes of 5% cream, and price varies widely by brand and strength - Emzor's tablets are made in Nigeria, most creams are imported. Ask a licensed pharmacy for the current price, and check the pack's NAFDAC registration number before paying. ## What is Aciclovir? Aciclovir (spelled acyclovir in American texts - same medicine) is an antiviral for the herpes family of viruses: the ones behind cold sores, genital herpes, shingles and chickenpox. It works by blocking the virus's ability to copy itself inside infected cells, which shortens an outbreak and makes it milder. It does not kill the virus outright - herpes viruses stay dormant in the body between outbreaks, and no tablet removes them - so aciclovir is the medicine for treating outbreaks and preventing them, not a one-time cure. Timing decides how well it works. Started at the first tingle of a cold sore, or within 72 hours of a shingles rash appearing, it can cut days off an outbreak; started late, it does much less. That is worth knowing before the pharmacy trip, not after. In Nigeria it is registered as tablets (Emzor makes 400 mg and 800 mg locally; Bafnacare 200 mg and 400 mg are imported), as 5% skin creams from several companies, and as a 3% eye ointment (Acyvir). Our copy of the NAFDAC register shows no aciclovir syrup, suspension or injection registered - the IV form used for severe hospital cases is not on the Nigerian register at all. ## What is Aciclovir used for? - Cold sores on the lips and face - cream applied at the first tingle, or tablets for frequent or severe outbreaks - Genital herpes - first episodes, recurrences, and daily suppressive treatment when outbreaks are frequent - Shingles (herpes zoster), started within 72 hours of the rash - Chickenpox in adults, teenagers and people at higher risk of complications - Herpes simplex eye infection - the eye ointment, under specialist care ## Dosage Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information. - Adults: Depends entirely on what is being treated, so follow the prescription: typical courses run from 200-400 mg several times a day for 5-7 days (genital herpes) up to 800 mg five times a day for 7 days (shingles). The cream is applied five times a day for 5-10 days, starting at the first tingle. Doses are spread across the waking day - aciclovir leaves the body quickly, and the spacing is what keeps the virus suppressed. - Children: Used for chickenpox and herpes infections on a doctor's advice, with the dose set by age and weight. With no syrup or suspension registered in Nigeria, young children's doses have to be managed by the doctor - do not improvise by breaking adult tablets without being told to. - Elderly: Shingles is the common reason older adults need aciclovir, and speed matters most - the 72-hour window from rash to first dose is what protects against lingering nerve pain. Older kidneys clear the drug more slowly, so doctors may adjust the dose; drinking enough water through the course matters more at this age. Start as early in the outbreak as possible. Drink plenty of water through a tablet course - aciclovir can crystallise in dehydrated kidneys at high doses. Finish the course even when the sores crust early. ## Side effects Common: Nausea or vomiting; Headache; Diarrhoea; Dizziness or tiredness; Cream: brief stinging or burning where applied. Serious (seek medical help immediately): Signs of kidney trouble on tablet courses - passing much less urine, flank pain - especially if dehydrated; Confusion, hallucination or unusual drowsiness, mostly in older people or those with kidney problems; Allergic reaction: spreading rash, swelling of the face or throat, difficulty breathing. When to see a doctor: Go straight to a doctor if shingles involves the face or eye, if you are pregnant and have a genital herpes outbreak near your due date, if sores keep coming back many times a year (daily suppression is worth discussing), or if you have HIV or another reason for weak immunity - herpes infections run harder and longer then, and the doses differ. ## Warnings Do not take if: Known allergy to aciclovir or valaciclovir. Interactions: Probenecid and cimetidine can raise aciclovir levels; Other drugs that stress the kidneys - including the NSAID painkillers (diclofenac, ibuprofen) many people take daily - add to the kidney load on high-dose courses; Tenofovir-containing HIV treatment: tell your doctor, as both are cleared by the kidneys. Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Aciclovir has decades of use in pregnancy without a pattern of harm and is commonly prescribed when genital herpes needs treating before delivery - but that call belongs to a doctor, especially near term. Small amounts pass into breast milk; normal doses are generally considered compatible with breastfeeding on a pharmacist's or doctor's advice. ## Brands in Nigeria Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Emzor Aciclovir 400 (Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, made in Nigeria); Emzor Aciclovir 800 (Emzor Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, made in Nigeria); Bafnacare 400 (AnnyGod Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, made in India); Bafnacare 200 (AnnyGod Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, made in India); Virest 5% Cream (Phamatex Nigeria Limited, made in Malaysia); Norbarc Aciclovir Cream (Norbarc Pharmaceutical Limited, made in India); Variks Cream (Akso Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited, made in China); Pocco Aciclovir Cream (First J. Pocco Pharmacy Limited, made in India); AG Aciclovir Cream (AnnyGod Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, made in India); Aciclovir Cream BP 5% (Restore Healthcare Ltd, made in India); Acyclovir Ointment (Annie Pharma Limited, made in Nigeria); Acyvir Eye Ointment (Vitacare Pharmacy Limited, made in Bangladesh). Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/aciclovir/brands/ ## How to verify it is genuine 1. Check the pack for the NAFDAC registration number - Emzor Aciclovir 400 carries A11-100345 and the 800 mg carries A11-100346, both printed on the carton 2. Enter the number in our free NAFDAC checker and confirm it matches the product and company on the pack 3. Creams come in small 5-20 g tubes from registered brands like Virest (04-4464) and Norbarc (A4-100743) - a tube with no NAFDAC number on the carton cannot be verified 4. Imported 'Zovirax' with no NAFDAC number is unverifiable here - our copy of the register shows no active Zovirax registration, so the registered generics above are what a legitimate pharmacy shelf holds Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/ ## FAQs ### Is aciclovir available in Nigeria? Yes. The NAFDAC register lists locally made tablets - Emzor Aciclovir 400 (A11-100345) and 800 (A11-100346), made in Nigeria - plus imported Bafnacare 200 mg and 400 mg tablets, several 5% creams (Virest, Norbarc, Variks, Pocco and others) and Acyvir 3% eye ointment, all recorded as Active in our register copy. Check the number on your pack in our free NAFDAC checker. ### Does aciclovir cure herpes permanently? No - and nothing currently does. Herpes viruses stay dormant in nerve cells between outbreaks, out of any medicine's reach. What aciclovir does, and does well, is make outbreaks shorter and milder when started early, and prevent most outbreaks when taken daily as suppression. Anyone selling a 'permanent herpes cure' in Nigeria is selling something that does not exist. ### What about Zovirax and Valtrex? Zovirax is the original aciclovir brand, but our copy of the NAFDAC register shows no active Zovirax registration in Nigeria - the registered equivalents are the Emzor and Bafnacare tablets and the 5% creams listed above. Valtrex 500 mg (registration 04-8114, Active) is registered: it contains valaciclovir, a prodrug that converts to aciclovir in the body and needs fewer doses per day, at a higher price. ### Is there an aciclovir injection or syrup in Nigeria? Our copy of the NAFDAC register shows no aciclovir injection, syrup or suspension registered - only tablets, skin creams and an eye ointment. The IV form used abroad for severe herpes infections in hospital would have to come through special importation, so severe cases are managed in hospital on the specialist's judgement. For children who cannot swallow tablets, the doctor sets a workable dose - do not improvise. ## Sources - NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria) - WHO Model List of Essential Medicines - British National Formulary (BNF) - Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)