What is "docosanol"

n. (context organic compound English) A saturated fatty alcohol used mainly as an antiviral agent, specifically for treatment of cold sores.

Docosanol, also known as behenyl alcohol, is a saturated fatty alcohol used traditionally as an emollient, emulsifier, and thickener in cosmetics, and nutritional supplement (as an individual entity and also as a constituent of policosanol).

More recently, docosanol has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a pharmaceutical antiviral agent for reducing the duration of cold sores caused by the herpes simplex virus in the OTC medication Abreva.