Famvir is an antiviral medication used to treat herpes simplex viruses, including genital herpes (herpes simplex strain 2, HSV-2) and varicella zoster virus (VZV, herpes zoster), which causes shingles and ophthalmic zoster (shingles in the eye).
You can use this medication to prevent outbreaks and also to relieve symptoms. If you start taking the pills as soon as you notice symptoms, you can significantly reduce the time it takes for the infection to go away, often within 1-2 days.
It is an oral prescription in the form of capsules that can offer relief from unpleasant blisters within 24 hours as well as significantly reduce the duration of your outbreak. Treatment is most effective when used at the first sign of infection.
Famvir is available in three different doses (125, 250 and 500mg) at HealthExpress for the treatment of genital herpes and shingles.
The active ingredient in Famvir is famciclovir, which belongs to a group of drugs known as 'prodrugs'. Prodrugs are drugs designed to improve absorption into the body once the medication has been ingested.
In this case, once you take a famciclovir tablet, it is converted into the active ingredient penciclovir which prevents the viral cells from multiplying. It does this by stopping the viral cells from producing a certain enzyme needed for reproduction. This allows your body to more easily fight off the infection and force the virus into an inactive state in your body.