Echinacea compositum in the treatment of respiratory diseases

Abstract

Background: Clinical protocols and standards of treatment of respiratory tract diseases include mainly antibacterial, mucolytic and anti-inflammatory therapy. This approach is effective at relieving acute symptoms, but there is a “flip side of the coin” – presence of side effects. So, antibiotics cause immunosuppression and dysbiosis, nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines have a negative effect on mucous membrane of stomach and kidneys. Mucolytics, beta-2-agonists increase blood pressure, cause heart rhythm disturbances. In case of a more long-term use of these medicines these problems become more relevant. Thus, there is a shortage of pathogenic anti-inflammatory therapy aimed at optimization of inflammation. In standards are absent also effective drainage and detoxification medicines and impossibility of their use in comorbidity, age-related limitations also complicates the treatment. Conclusions: Echinacea compositum has a complex effect: detoxification, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, etc. Medication is used in treatment of inflammatory and purulent processes of soft tissues and mucous membranes; its prescription does not require prior immunological examination. It has a favorable safety profile and is recommended for children from 1 year old, is well combined with any medicine, increases nonspecific protection, effectiveness of antibiotic therapy and course of treatment, reduction of its duration; enhances antifungal therapy and is used in the schemes of influenza prevention in children, the elderly, patients with tendency to allergic reactions.