Is Docosanol an antiviral?
A. Docosanol is not classified as an antiviral. Typically, nucleoside analogues, such as penciclovir (Denavir®) and acyclovir (Zovirax®), are considered the only antivirals that are used for herpes labialis. They are classified as antivirals because their activity occurs in virus-infected cells. Docosanol’s mode of action is different. Its mode of action takes place only in healthy cells, where it works on the cell membrane to help inhibit the ability of the virus to fuse with the cell membrane. This makes the virus less likely to enter the cell to begin the process of infection.
