valacyclovir(Valtrex)
Antiviral (nucleoside analog prodrug of acyclovir)
Pronunciation
/ˌvæləˈsaɪkloʊvɪər/
International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). Say it aloud once — you will remember it forever.
At a glance
- Generic name
- valacyclovir
- Brand names
- Valtrex
- Therapeutic class
- Antiviral (nucleoside analog prodrug of acyclovir)
- Mechanism (summary)
- <!-- AI-DRAFTED: 2026-06-23 -->
Clinical pearls
- Take with or without food.
- Drink plenty of fluids to prevent kidney problems.
- Start at the first sign of an outbreak for best effect (tingling/burning).
- Does not cure herpes; reduces outbreaks and risk of transmission.
- For zoster, start within 72 h of rash for maximum benefit.
Sources
See how valacyclovir appears in NAPLEX-style questions
PharmDHub Premium includes a full drug card, dosing, boxed warnings, drug-drug interactions, and practice questions built around this drug.