Efficacy of acycloguanosine against herpetic ulcers in rabbit cornea.

The effect of a new antiherpetic compound of very low toxicity called acycloguanosine (Wellcome 248U) on herpetic ulcers in rabbit cornea was studied by the Corneal Epithelial Lesion Therapeutic Assay (CELTA). The therapeutic effect of 3% acycloguanosine ointment on dendritic ulcers was equal to that of 0.5% 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine (IDU) ointment. No toxic symptoms could be detected by slit-lamp on 4 days' treatment with this concentration of acycloguanosine. Because of its selective action on virus only, its extremely low toxicity in animals, and its availability for systemic administration, acycloguanosine seems to be an ideal antiviral compound for use in the treatment not only of herpetic keratitis but also of other herpetic diseases in man.