The effectiveness of a new antiviral drug of plant origin in the form of eye drops in the complex therapy of ophthalmic herpes

Ophthalmic herpes is the most common infection-related cause of blindness in developing countries. Purpose : to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, safety and tolerability of the drug Panavir® used as part of a combination therapy for herpetic superficial dendritic keratitis. Materials and methods . The study involved 106 patients aged 18 to 65 years divided into two groups. Group 1 (54 patients; 54 eyes) received treatment with Panavir® and Acyclovir ophthalmic ointment, whilst Group 2 (52 patients; 52 eyes) received a placebo of Panavir® and Acyclovir ophthalmic ointment. The primary parameter of the efficiency was the percentage of patients achieving clinical recovery, i.e. signs of complete epithelialization of the cornea. Results . In group 2 (monotherapy), a significantly greater number of patients with mild conjunctival hyperemia was registered than in the combination therapy group 1 — 59.26 vs. 23.08 %, p < 0.001. In group 1, the proportion of patients without corneal syndrome at visits 3 and 4 was, respectively, 11.11 and 61.11 %, while in group 2 it was only 3.85 and 19.61 %, respectively. Conclusion . The drug Panavir® eye drops 0.004 % showed a high therapeutic efficiency in the combined treatment of herpetic keratitis, and good tolerance. It also reduced the time required for corneal epithelialization and conjunctiva normalization.