title: Effect of vidarabine in dimethyl sulfoxide vehicle on type 1 herpesvirus-induced cutaneous lesions in laboratory animals.
abstract: Vidarabine (9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine) prepared in a 70% dimethyl sulfoxide vehicle was applied topically to type 1 herpesvirus-induced cutaneous lesions on guinea pigs and athymic nude mice. Treatments were 3 or 5 times daily for 7 days beginning 24 h after virus exposure. Against infections in guinea pigs induced by a thymidine kinase-positive virus strain, either treatment schedule effectively inhibited mean lesion score, lesion size, appearance of new lesions, and reduced lesion virus titers. Therapy was similarly effective against infections in guinea pigs induced by a thymidine kinase-negative virus strain, except that lesion virus titers were somewhat increased in animals treated 3 times daily. Treatment 5 times daily was most efficacious against both virus strains. Treatment 3 times daily of mice infected with a thymidine kinase-negative virus was not effective, but treatment 5 times daily significantly inhibited lesion score and size and reduced lesion virus titer by 37%. Toxicity controls exhibited no signs of skin irritation, although guinea pigs treated 5 times daily experienced some transient weight loss.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012874:Skin Diseases, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D013045:Species Specificity; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D014740:Vidarabine; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide