TOPICAL UNDECYLENIC ACID FOR HERPES-SIMPLEX LABIALIS - A MULTICENTER,PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

A multicenter, patient-initiated, double-blind, placebo-controlled tri al of 15% undecylenic acid cream was conducted with 573 patients with recurrent herpes labialis, Treatment was applied 5 or 6 times daily un til crusting and then thrice daily until healing, Patients were assess ed daily until 48 h after crusting and then every other day until heal ing. Undecylenic acid significantly reduced the incidence and duration of viral shedding and the duration and severity of itching but did no t increase abortive episodes or reduce times to healing, crusting, or progression of lesion size, When treatment was initiated during the pr odrome, the time to crusting was reduced (P = .02) and the area under the symptom-time curve for pain and tenderness was reduced, approachin g statistical significance (P = .06), Active treatment was well tolera ted but caused dysgeusia and local irritation, Undecylenic acid 15% cr eam reduces viral shedding in recurrent herpes labialis, but clinical benefits are minimal and largely restricted to patients initiating the rapy during the prodrome.