acyclovir vs griseofulvin
PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.
Side-by-side comparison of acyclovir and griseofulvin. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Zovirax
Grifulvin V
Acyclovir is an antiviral medicine. It is used to treat infections caused by certain viruses.
Griseofulvin is an antifungal medicine. It treats fungal infections of the skin, hair, and nails.
Acyclovir is used to treat shingles, which is caused by herpes zoster. It also treats genital herpes, both the first time you have it and when it comes back. Acyclovir can also treat chickenpox.
This medicine treats fungal infections called dermatophyte infections. These infections can affect your skin (tinea corporis, tinea cruris, tinea barbae), feet (tinea pedis), scalp (tinea capitis), or nails (tinea unguium). Make sure a lab test confirms you have a fungal infection before you start taking this medicine. This medicine will not work for bacterial or yeast infections.
Acyclovir stops the virus from growing and spreading. It does this by interfering with the virus's ability to make copies of itself. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Griseofulvin stops fungi from growing and multiplying. It binds to a protein in the fungi. This disrupts the fungi's cell structure and prevents it from spreading.
- • Malaise (feeling unwell)
- • Nausea
- • Diarrhea
- • Headache
- • Nausea
- • Vomiting
- • Diarrhea
- • Fatigue
- Fatigue 7,612
- Diarrhoea 7,064
- Pneumonia 5,471
- Nausea 5,328
- Pyrexia 4,719
- Headache 15
- Pyrexia 11
- Rash 11
- Diarrhoea 10
- Drug Hypersensitivity 10
Acyclovir can cause nervous system problems, especially in older adults or people with kidney problems. Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems before taking this medicine.
Griseofulvin can cause liver problems. If you have liver failure or a history of sensitivity to griseofulvin, you should not take this medicine. Do not take this medicine if you have porphyria. Griseofulvin can harm an unborn baby, so do not take it if you are pregnant or could become pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if acyclovir will harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking acyclovir while breastfeeding.
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant. It can cause harm to your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about birth control options if you are a woman who could become pregnant.
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How to Read This acyclovir vs griseofulvin Comparison
acyclovir is classified in the Antiviral (Nucleoside Analog) drug class, while griseofulvin sits within the Antifungal class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, acyclovir has 30,194 submissions while griseofulvin has 57. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for acyclovir or griseofulvin.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.