Acyclovir 50 mg/g Ointment
🆔 Identity & classification
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🏷️ RxNorm drug class
This medicine belongs to the Herpesvirus Nucleoside Analog DNA Polymerase Inhibitor class.
Where does this data come from?
🏭 Manufacturer & labeler
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🩺 Clinical
Acyclovir cream is used to treat cold sores (fever blisters; blisters that are caused by a virus called herpes simplex) on the face or lips. Acyclovir ointment is used to treat first outbreaks of genital herpes (a herpes virus infection that causes sores to form around the genitals and rectum from time to time) and to treat certain types of sores caused by the herpes simplex virus in people with weak immune systems. Acyclovir is in a class of antiviral medications called synthetic nucleoside analogues. It works by stopping the spread of the herpes virus in the body. Acyclovir does not cure col...
Read the full MedlinePlus article ↗- Acyclovir doesn't cure herpes — it can't eliminate the virus from your body. What it does is slow down the virus's ability to copy itself, which shortens outbreaks, eases symptoms,...
- What exactly does acyclovir do — does it cure herpes?
- Timing really does matter with acyclovir. For cold sores, you want to start at the very first warning sign — that tingling or itching feeling — before a sore even appears. For geni...
- How soon do I need to start taking it for it to work?
Patient education
Supplement & herbal interactions
Some supplements/herbs that may interact with Acyclovir — tap one for details:
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💊 What it looks like
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🧪 Inactive Ingredients / Excipients
Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.
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UNII 3WJQ0SDW1A
Polyethylene glycol is a synthetic liquid or solid polymer used in medicines as a solvent, lubricant, and humectant. It helps dissolve active ingredients, reduces friction during manufacturing, and retains moisture in the final product.
1 inactive ingredient listed in the exact product block matched to this NDC.
Where does this data come from?
ingredient classCode="IACT" elements from the exact product block matched by this NDC. Label-section narrative from DailyMed / the openFDA label index is shown separately when available.Inactive ingredient FAQ
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💲 Pricing
A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.
| Price system | Per g | Per package |
|---|---|---|
| Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly | Not in the retail survey — common for institutional, discontinued, or low-volume packs. | |
| Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo | No recent Medicaid claims on file for this NDC — rare and low-volume NDCs are suppressed in the public data. | |
| Medicare drug plans payPart D · Q2 2026 | $1.40 | $7.00 / 5 g |
Where does this data come from?
🔁 Therapeutic equivalents
| Product | Labeler | Pack | NADAC/unit | TE | Status | Price vs. this |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 00591-1159-30 | ACTAVIS | 1 tube | $0.315 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 13668-0515-01 | Torrent | 15 g | $0.536 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 16714-0885-01 | Northstar | 1 tube | $0.536 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 51672-1360-01 | Sun | 1 tube | $0.536 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 65162-0835-94 | Amneal | 1 tube | $0.536 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 68462-0746-17 | Glenmark | 1 tube | $0.536 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 70700-0107-15 | Xiromed, | 1 tube | $0.536 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 72578-0082-01 | Viona | 1 tube | $0.536 | AB | Availability likely | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 33342-0439-15 | Macleods | 1 tube | $0.676 | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Zovirax 50 mg/g 00187-0993-95 | Bausch | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 43547-0499-41 | Solco | 1 tube | — | — | FDA listed | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 50090-6561-00 | A-S | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/gthis 62332-0248-05 | Alembic | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 63629-2327-01 | Bryant | 30 g | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 63629-2328-01 | Bryant | 15 g | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 68071-3909-05 | NuCare | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 68788-8247-01 | Preferred | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 70771-1371-01 | Zydus | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 72162-1960-02 | Bryant | 15 g | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| acyclovir 50 mg/g 85766-0115-15 | Sportpharm | 1 tube | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
| Acyclovir 50 mg/g 85957-0036-01 | Aryeh | 2 tubes | — | AB | FDA listed | — |
Where does this data come from?
⏳ Availability & generic status
This product is an FDA-approved generic. Other versions of the same drug are listed under Therapeutic equivalents, least expensive first.
Where does this data come from?
📊 Medicare Part D spend CMS · PART D · 2026 (Q1)
🔬 Reported adverse events (FAERS)
Top reported reactions
Age at onset
Reporter sex
Serious outcomes
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📦 Packaging — all sizes for this product
| Package NDC | Description | Per unit | Per pack | Marketing start | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62332-0248-05 You're viewing this | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (62332-248-05) / 5 g in 1 TUBE | — | — | 2019-04-03 | Active |
| 62332-0248-15 | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (62332-248-15) / 15 g in 1 TUBE | $1.06 / g | $15.89 | 2019-04-03 | Active |
| 62332-0248-30 | 1 TUBE in 1 CARTON (62332-248-30) / 30 g in 1 TUBE | $0.9790 / g | $29.37 | 2018-04-16 | Active |
Pack size FAQ
What quantity is in NDC 62332-0248-05?
What NDC number is used to bill for this package of Acyclovir 50 mg/g Ointment?
Prices are the latest CMS NADAC pharmacy acquisition cost per NDC; per-pack figures are per-unit × pack quantity, shown only when the pack is denominated in the same measure NADAC prices.
🧭 About this NDC listing & data coverage
What data is (and isn’t) available for this NDC — tap to expand
| NDC identity (package / product / labeler codes) | ✓ Available |
| Labeler | ✓ Available |
| Product & package description | ✓ Available |
| Marketing category & status | ✓ Available |
| Active ingredient / dosage form / route | ✓ Available |
| FDA label (SPL via DailyMed) | ✓ Available |
| Package photos | ✓ Available |
| Inactive ingredients (structured) | ✓ Available |
| NADAC pharmacy acquisition price (CMS) | — Not published for this NDC CMS publishes NADAC only for NDCs reported in its retail-pharmacy survey. |
| Orange Book / therapeutic-equivalence data | ✓ Available |
| HCPCS J-code billing crosswalk | — Not published for this NDC Most self-administered / retail products have no J-code — that is normal. |
| Medicaid utilization (CMS SDUD) | — Not published for this NDC CMS reports utilization only for NDCs with Medicaid claims above its privacy threshold. |
Questions about this listing
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📄 Full prescribing information FDA SPL
🎯 Indications and Usage ▾
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Acyclovir ointment USP, 5% is indicated in the management of initial genital herpes and in limited non-life-threatening mucocutaneous Herpes simplex virus infections in immunocompromised patients.
⏱️ Dosage and Administration ▾
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Apply sufficient quantity to adequately cover all lesions every 3 hours, 6 times per day for 7 days. The dose size per application will vary depending upon the total lesion area but should approximate a one-half inch ribbon of ointment per 4 square inches of surface area. A finger cot or rubber glove should be used when applying acyclovir ointment 5% to prevent autoinoculation of other body sites and transmission of infection to other persons.
Therapy should be initiated as early as possible following onset of signs and symptoms.
⛔ Contraindications ▾
CONTRAINDICATIONS Acyclovir ointment 5% is contraindicated in patients who develop hypersensitivity to the components of the formulation.
⚠️ Warnings ▾
WARNINGS Acyclovir ointment 5% is intended for cutaneous use only and should not be used in the eye.
🤒 Adverse Reactions ▾
ADVERSE REACTIONS In the controlled clinical trials, mild pain (including transient burning and stinging) was reported by about 30% of patients in both the active and placebo arms; treatment was discontinued in 2 of these patients. Local pruritus occurred in 4% of these patients. In all studies, there was no significant difference between the drug and placebo group in the rate or type of reported adverse reactions nor were there any differences in abnormal clinical laboratory findings.
Observed During Clinical Practice: Based on clinical practice experience in patients treated with acyclovir ointment 5% in the US, spontaneously reported adverse events are uncommon. Data are insufficient to support an estimate of their incidence or to establish causation. These events may also occur as part of the underlying disease process.
Voluntary reports of adverse events that have been received since market introduction include: General: Edema and/or pain at the application site. Skin: Pruritus, rash.
🔄 Drug Interactions ▾
Drug Interactions: Clinical experience has identified no interactions resulting from topical or systemic administration of other drugs concomitantly with acyclovir ointment 5%.
🧒 Pediatric Use ▾
Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.
🧓 Geriatric Use ▾
Geriatric Use: Clinical studies of acyclovir ointment 5% did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 and over to determine whether they respond differently from younger subjects. Other reported clinical experience has not identified differences in responses between the elderly and younger patients. Systemic absorption of acyclovir after topical administration is minimal (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY).
🆘 Overdosage ▾
OVERDOSAGE Overdosage by topical application of acyclovir ointment 5% is unlikely because of limited transcutaneous absorption (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY).
🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ▾
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Two clinical pharmacology studies were performed with acylovir ointment 5% in immunocompromised adults at risk of developing mucocutaneous Herpes simplex virus infections or with localized varicella-zoster infections. These studies were designed to evaluate the dermal tolerance, systemic toxicity, and percutaneous absorption of acyclovir. In 1 of these studies, which included 16 inpatients, the complete ointment or its vehicle were randomly administered in a dose of 1-cm strips (25 mg acyclovir) 4 times a day for 7 days to an intact skin surface area of 4.5 square inches.
No local intolerance, systemic toxicity, or contact dermatitis were observed. In addition, no drug was detected in blood and urine by radioimmunoassay (sensitivity, 0.01 mcg/mL). The other study included 11 patients with localized varicella-zoster infections.
In this uncontrolled study, acyclovir was detected in the blood of 9 patients and in the urine of all patients tested. Acyclovir levels in plasma ranged from <0.01 to 0.28 mcg/mL in 8 patients with normal renal function, and from <0.01 to 0.78 mcg/mL in 1 patient with impaired renal function. Acyclovir excreted in the urine ranged from <0.02% to 9.4% of the daily dose.
Therefore, systemic absorption of acyclovir after topical application is minimal. CLINICAL TRIALS In clinical trials of initial genital herpes infections, acyclovir ointment 5% has shown a decrease in healing time and, in some cases, a decrease in duration of viral shedding and duration of pain. In studies in immunocompromised patients mainly with herpes labialis, there was a decrease in duration of viral shedding and a slight decrease in duration of pain.
In studies of recurrent genital herpes and of herpes labialis in nonimmunocompromised patients, there was no evidence of clinical benefit; there was some decrease in duration of viral shedding.
📦 How Supplied / Storage and Handling ▾
HOW SUPPLIED Acyclovir Ointment USP, 5% is supplied as a white to off-white color ointment. Each gram of acyclovir ointment USP, 5% contains 50 mg acyclovir, USP in a polyethylene glycol base. It is supplied as follows: 5-g tubes NDC 62332-248-05 15-g tubes NDC 62332-248-15 30-g tubes NDC 62332-248-30 Store at 15° to 25°C (59° to 77°F). [See USP Controlled Room Temperature].
Store in a dry place Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. For more information call Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited at 1-866-210-9797.
Manufactured for: Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Bedminster, NJ 07921, USA Manufactured by: Alembic Pharmaceuticals Limited (Derma Division), Karakhadi, Vadodara 391450, India. Mfg.
License No.: G/25/2216 Manufactured by: Encube Ethicals Pvt. Ltd., Madkaim, Ponda, Goa, India – 403404 Mfg. License No: 361 Revised: 03/2025
📋 Description ▾
DESCRIPTION Acyclovir, USP, is a synthetic nucleoside analogue active against herpes viruses. Acyclovir ointment USP, 5% is a formulation for topical administration. Each gram acyclovir ointment USP, 5% contains 50 mg of acyclovir in a polyethylene glycol (PEG) base.
Acyclovir, USP is a white, crystalline powder with the molecular formula C 8 H 11 N 5 O 3 and a molecular weight of 225. The maximum solubility in water at 37°C is 2.5 mg/mL. The pka's of acyclovir are 2.27 and 9.25.
The chemical name of acyclovir is 2-amino-1, 9-dihydro-9- [(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6 H - purin-6-one; it has the following structural formula: Structure