The main means of protecting the human body from viral and bacterial infections is the immune system. But due to the wrong way of life, it often does not fulfill its functions in modern people. Therefore, more and more drugs are now being created that affect the human immune system, stimulating it. Such immunobiological preparations began to be used more than 100 years ago. At first they were created from substances of biological origin, now they have learned how to produce their synthetic substitutes. There are many different types, and only a few are commercially available.
Characterization of immunobiological preparations
Basically, such products are made from the blood and tissues of humans or animals. The cultivation of microorganisms in a special nutrient medium is also used. Recently, immunobiological preparations have been produced by creating recombinant DNA. Such synthetic products are not inferior in effectiveness to natural ones. These medicines can differ greatly not only in the way they are produced, but also in the way they are used. They are united only by the fact that they influenceon the human body through its immune system. Available as tablets, injections, suppositories, aerosols or suspensions.
What are immunobiological preparations? These are various vaccines, toxoids, antimicrobial sera, immunoglobulins, interferons, enzymes and bacteriophages. Eubiotics, probiotics, immunomodulators and adaptogens can be distinguished among the more common means that affect human immunity. Now it has become popular to take various dietary supplements, many of which also belong to this group of drugs.
Classification
The decrease in human immunity and the need to act on it have been talked about for many years. And those who care about their he alth and want to protect themselves and loved ones from infections are interested in what immunobiological preparations are. The list of them is now quite large, new drugs are being created all the time. But all of them can be divided into 5 groups according to the characteristics of the composition and the nature of the impact on the body:
The first group is immunobiological preparations obtained from living or dead microorganisms. Basically, these are various vaccines, toxoids and serums used for the prevention and treatment of serious infectious diseases. This group also includes bacteriophages, which are viruses that destroy bacteria, and probiotics, products based on non-pathogenic microorganisms
- There are more immunobiological drugs createdfrom special antibodies that are produced by the body in response to the attack of bacteria and viruses. These are various immunoglobulins, sera and enzymes. They are in the second group.
- The third group of drugs is a means to stimulate the human immune system. They are called immunomodulators, and they are used to treat and prevent viral and bacterial infections. Basically, these are various interferons.
- The fourth group of immunobiological agents includes adaptogens - substances most often of plant origin: herbal extracts, dietary supplements and vitamins.
- The last group includes immunobiological preparations for the diagnosis of various infectious diseases and the determination of allergens.
Interferon alpha
The price of preparations based on it ranges from 60 to 600 rubles, depending on the method of application and the manufacturer. Interferon is a protein produced by the human immune system in response to attack by viruses. But often it is not enough in the body. And in case of infection, it must be supplied from outside to successfully fight the infection. For these purposes, recombinant Interferon Alpha can be used, the price of which is low - about 100 rubles. Or various preparations based on a protein synthetic or derived from human blood cells. These are drugs such as Viferon, Anaferon, Laifferon and others. When ingested, they stimulate the immune system and trigger a defense mechanism against viruses and bacteria.
What is a bacteriophage
The instruction for such drugs recommends using them only after examination and doctor's prescription. After all, bacteriophages are viruses that destroy bacterial cells. But they live only in certain microorganisms. Therefore, the wrong drug can be harmful. Depending on the disease, streptococcal, dysentery, pseudomonas or staphylococcal bacteriophage are prescribed. The instruction for such drugs recommends using them orally or externally for various bacterial infections. It has already been proven that bacteriophages have many advantages over antibiotics:
- does not kill beneficial bacteria;
- not addictive;
- does not disrupt the human immune system;
- microorganisms cannot become immune to them;
- have no contraindications and side effects.
Therefore, now more and more often various infections are treated with just such drugs. The most common of them are: Intesti, Pyobacteriophage, Klebsifag, Polyvalent Dysentery, Staphylococcal, Streptococcal and Salmonella.
Other commonly used drugs
In recent years, more and more often, both doctors and patients turn for treatment not to antibiotics, but to means to stimulate the immune system. Although many consider these drugs useless. But for prevention and in the complex treatment of bacterial and viral infections, they are prescribed for both adults and children. There are several groups of common andknown to many immunobiological preparations:
Probiotics are intended for the treatment of diseases associated with a violation of the intestinal microflora. They contain beneficial lactobacilli or bifidobacteria. They are used for irrational nutrition, poisoning, dysentery, salmonellosis, diarrhea, to restore the intestinal microflora after antibiotic treatment. The most common probiotics are Colibacterin, Bifidumbacterin, Lactobacterin, Bifikol and others
- Adaptogens are substances extracted from plants or marine life. Everyone knows that extracts of eleutherococcus, ginseng, wild rose or seaweed strengthen the immune system and increase efficiency. They are not only used for infectious diseases, but also improve the activity of all internal organs.
- Immunomodulators are drugs that stimulate the body's defenses, accelerating the production of antibodies. These include various peptides - "Thymosin", "Titulin"; interferons - "Viferon"; antibodies extracted from microbial cells - "Pyrogenal", "Salmosan", "Likopid". Some antibiotics can also be attributed to this group, for example, Levamisole and Cyclosporine.
Features of the use of such drugs
Despite the fact that these drugs are considered safe and rarely cause side effects, they should be taken only on the recommendation of a doctor. In addition, there are other features of using such funds:
- In most cases, the storage of immunobiological preparations should be carried out inrefrigerator;
- must strictly follow the instructions when taking these drugs;
- most often they are used in complex treatment, since their effect may not appear immediately.
Many immunobiological preparations are used only in a medical facility, such as vaccines, sera and some immunoglobulins. Others are used to strengthen and stimulate the immune system. After all, immunity is what protects a person from infections.
