Uptake, distribution, and anabolism of acyclovir in herpes simplex virus-infected mice.

The uptake, distribution, and anabolism of the nucleoside analog 9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl) guanine (acyclovir) were compared in herpes simplex virus-infected and uninfected mice. Analyses of tissue distribution and the concentration of acyclovir after either a single dose or multiple doses failed to reveal significant differences between drug levels in infected and uninfected animals. Extracts of tissues from [8-14C] acyclovir-treated animals were examined by high-performance liquid chromatography to detect the presence of any phosphorylated forms of the drug. The sensitivity of this method did not allow a reproducible demonstration of acyclovir anabolism in herpes simplex virus-infected tissues owing to the low numbers of infected cells per organ.