Shostakovsky's balm is an antiseptic medicine. With its help, wound surfaces, ulcerative lesions of the skin and mucous membranes are treated. In medicine, it is also called "Vinilin".
Peru Balsam
The history of this drug begins around the mid-30s. At that time there were no antibiotics yet, and streptocide was just entering into practice. Therefore, surgeons needed new, more effective means in order to treat purulent processes. After many studies, the scientists decided to test Peruvian balsam, extracted from some species of South American pine.
Their results were positive - with the help of the drug it was possible not only to suppress external purulent processes, but also to prevent the development of gas gangrene. Since 1940, Peruvian balsam dressings have become widely used in surgery.
Synthetic analogue of Peruvian balsam
But the demand for the drug grew very quickly, which provoked a shortage. Therefore, scientists began to look for a synthetic remedy that would be analogous to Peruvian. SoonSoviet scientist Mikhail Fedorovich Shostakovsky managed to synthesize an artificial healing balm by polymerizing vinyl butyl ether.
As a result, Shostakovsky's balm has become an analogue of natural Peruvian balm. In addition, a synthetic drug has some pharmacological properties that are not characteristic of a natural one. And the most important of them is absolute harmlessness, which is due to the fact that it does not penetrate deep into the cells of the body.
In our time, the form of release of the drug is a balm in bottles made of dark glass and having a volume of 100 g. The main active ingredient of the drug is polyvinox.
Pharmacological properties
"Vinilin" (Shostakovsky's balm) is used both externally and internally. The active components of the drug are characterized by pronounced antiseptic and wound healing effects. When it hits the wound surface, the balm performs the following functions:
- actively fights pathogens;
- dries up the lesions;
- accelerates regeneration processes.
In addition, Shostakovsky's balm is used for internal use. With its help, the ulcerative surfaces of the mucous membranes of the digestive canal heal and scar much faster.
Numerous patient reviews indicate that Shostakovsky's balm significantly accelerates the healing of sores and skin cracks. Whereinpain sensations become less intense after the first use.
Use of balm in dental practice
I found Shostakovsky's balm ("Vinilin") to be used in dental practice. Its Peruvian counterpart was also used to fill the canals of a tooth with gangrenous roots. Liquid or semi-liquid fillings better wrapped and adhered to the canal walls.
Balm was often used in combination with iodoform. It was also practiced to introduce it into the gangrenous canals immediately before filling the tooth.
Since the synthetic "Vinilin" (Shostakovsky's balm) is cheaper and more widely available, and also has anesthetic and bacteriostatic properties, it can be successfully used in dental practice instead of the natural Peruvian counterpart.
Vinilin in radiotherapy
Scientists V. A. Sondak and A. I. Ruderman proposed the use of Shostakovsky's balm in radiotherapy of malignant neoplasms. In doing so, they used a 20% solution of vinyl with butter (vegetable) oil. It was used after each session of X-ray therapy, 1 tablespoon inside to prevent the occurrence of inflammatory reactions on the mucous membranes. In order to treat the resulting inflammation of the mucous membrane of the esophagus with Shostakovsky's balm, you need to increase the dose of the drug to 1 tablespoon every 4 hours.
In order to prevent the occurrence of dry and weeping epidermitis, it is necessary to lubricate the skin of the irradiated patient with a balm after each session. Treatmentdry epidermitis involves daily lubrication of the affected areas of the skin with the drug. At the same time, weeping forms of the disease are first treated with hydrogen peroxide, and only after that a gauze bandage impregnated with "Vinilin" is applied. When treating x-ray ulcers, it is first recommended to treat them with penicillin on novocaine, and then apply a napkin with Shostakovsky's balm.
Use of Shostakovsky's balm in dermatology
Synthetic balm "Vinilin" is used to treat various pustular skin diseases of streptococcal or staphylococcal type of origin. These include:
- impetigo;
- ecthymas;
- ulcerations after carbuncles and boils.
The use of a balm contributes to a good cleansing of such pathologies from pus, release from a putrid odor, if any. At the same time, inflammation subsides quickly enough, and painful sensations disappear.
Treatment with Shostakovsky's balm of various erosive and ulcerative skin processes of various origins is widespread. In particular, those that arose as a result of diseases such as:
- carbuncles;
- boils;
- ecthymas;
- hydroacetinites;
- abscesses of the skin and lymph nodes, etc.
After the drug is injected into the cavity of abscesses or fistulous openings, their size and depth are significantly reduced, healing and scarring are significantly accelerated.
Shostakovsky's balm, which corresponds to its natural analogue, is used for scabies, which does not have complications in the form of ostiofolliculitis and folliculitis. The drug has no effect on them, because it is rather difficult to be absorbed through the stratum corneum of the skin. So, when using "Vinilin", eosinolia in the blood, often observed with scabies, decreases.
Besides all this, Shostakovsky's balm is actively used for the treatment and prevention of such dermatological diseases as:
- cracks and extensive erosion in epidermophytosis;
- eczema;
- professional dermatitis;
- skin rashes on the face caused by gastritis with high acidity (acne vulgaris and redheads), etc.
Use of a drug in surgery
In surgery, the use of Shostakovsky's balm is associated with the treatment of fresh, as well as chronic wounds and burns. With the help of this drug, the growth of microorganisms is significantly delayed. In most cases, after the second dressing, the microflora is absent. In addition, the cytological picture changes dramatically: the phagocytic function increases, the number of neutrophils increases, which provokes the vigorous destruction of microorganisms by phagocytes.
It is easy to use "Vinilin" in surgical practice.
- First, you need to pre-toilet the wound.
- Directly on the wound surface apply a gauze bandage soaked in balm. You can also justpour balm over the wound and apply a regular bandage.
When treating thermal or chemical burns of varying degrees, the balm is applied directly to the surface of the wound.
Other options for using the drug in surgical practice include:
- air disinfection in operating units;
- use as anesthesia for minor operations;
- used as an additive to nitrous oxide and oxygen.
Side effects
Almost all patients tolerate this drug well.
But sometimes there are side effects like:
- allergic skin reactions in the form of rash, itching, feeling of tightness;
- dryness and flaking of the skin at the site of application of the drug;
- pain in the abdomen, impaired stool.
In our time, many experiments are being carried out on the use of Shostakovsky's balm, which opens up new and wider prospects for him.
