title: Lack of antiviral activity of ketoconazole alone or in combination with the acyclic nucleoside ganciclovir against a herpes virus type 2 infection in mice.
abstract: Ketoconazole and ganciclovir were tested for antiviral activity, each alone and in combination, against a herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) systemic infection in Swiss-Webster mice. When given once daily for 5 days starting 24 hr after infection, the ED50 for ketoconazole either alone or in combination was greater than 60 mg/kg; for ganciclovir, the ED50 was 7.1 mg/kg alone and 10.8 mg/kg in combination. Thus, ketoconazole did not potentiate or antagonize the antiviral activity of an acyclic nucleoside. Consequently, AIDS patients could perhaps receive ketoconazole and ganciclovir simultaneously for fungal and viral opportunistic infections without interference with their respective efficacies.
authors.affiliation: Syntex Research Palo Alto.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pecyk
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Fraser-Smith
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000187:drug effects; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007654:Ketoconazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D015774:Ganciclovir; D007654:Ketoconazole