Docosanol

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Docosanol
Systematic (IUPAC) name
docosan-1-ol
Identifiers
CAS number	661-19-8
ATC code	D06BB11
PubChem	12620
DrugBank	APRD00933
Chemical data
Formula	C22H46O
Mol. mass	326.6 g/mol
SMILES	eMolecules & PubChem
Synonyms	1-Docosanol, n-docosanol, docosyl alcohol, behenic alcohol, behenyl alcohol, Cachalot BE-22, Dehydag wax 22 (lanette), Emery 3304, Loxiol VPG 1451
Physical data
Melt. point	71 °C (160 °F)
Boiling point	180 °C (356 °F)
Pharmacokinetic data
Bioavailability	Not absorbed
Metabolism	N/A
Half life	N/A
Excretion	?
Therapeutic considerations
Pregnancy cat.	B(US)
Legal status	OTC(US)
Routes	Topical

Docosanol, also known as behenyl alcohol, is a saturated fatty alcohol used mainly as an antiviral agent, specifically for treatment of "cold sores" caused by the herpes simplex virus. It is normally administered topically in a cream containing a base and a 10% mix of the active ingredient.

It functions by inhibiting the fusion of the human host cell with the viral envelope of the herpes virus, thus preventing its replication.

Docosanol was approved for use after clinical trials by the FDA in July 2000.^[1] It was shown to shorten the healing by about 1 day. Marketed by Avanir Pharmaceuticals under the brand name Abreva, it was the first over-the-counter antiviral drug approved for sale in the United States and Canada. In March, 2007 it was the subject of a US nationwide class-action suit against Avanir and GlaxoSmithKline as the claim that it cut recovery times in half was found to have been misleading in a California court.^[2]

[edit] See also

• Behenic acid

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Abreva

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v • d • e Antibiotics and chemotherapeutics for dermatological use (D06) Antibiotics: tetracycline and derivatives Demeclocycline - Chlortetracycline - Oxytetracycline - Tetracycline Antibiotics: other Fusidic acid - Chloramphenicol - Neomycin - Bacitracin - Gentamicin - Tyrothricin - Mupirocin - Nadifloxacin - Virginiamycin - Rifaximin - Amikacin Chemotherapeutics: sulfonamides Silver sulfadiazine - Sulfathiazole - Mafenide - Sulfamethizole - Sulfanilamide - Sulfamerazine Chemotherapeutics: antivirals Idoxuridine - Tromantadine - Aciclovir - Podophyllotoxin - Inosine - Penciclovir - Lysozyme - Ibacitabine - Edoxudine - Imiquimod - Docosanol Chemotherapeutics: other Metronidazole

v • d • e Antivirals, other than for HIV (primarily J05, also S01AD and D06BB) Anti-herpesvirus (DNA, I) guanine analogues (Aciclovir, Famciclovir, Ganciclovir, Penciclovir, Valaciclovir, Valganciclovir) • nucleoside analogues (Idoxuridine, Trifluridine, Vidarabine) • Cidofovir • Docosanol • Fomivirsen • Foscarnet • Tromantadine HPV/MC (DNA, I) Imiquimod • Podophyllotoxin Hepatitis B (DNA, VII) Adefovir • Clevudine • Interferon alfa-2b • Pegylated interferon alfa-2a • Entecavir • Lamivudine • Telbivudine • Tenofovir† Hepatitis C (RNA, IV) Pegylated interferon alpha • Ribavirin • Taribavirin† • Boceprevir† Picornavirus (RNA, IV) Pleconaril† Anti-influenza agents (RNA, V) Arbidol adamantane derivatives/M2 inhibitors (Amantadine, Rimantadine) neuraminidase inhibitors (Oseltamivir, Zanamivir, Peramivir†) HIV (Reverse, VI) See HIV pharm Other antiviral agents general (Inosine, Interferon) †Undergoing clinical trials, not FDA approved.