The older generation is well aware of the action of a French-made antibacterial drug, which was produced in large quantities on the pharmaceutical market of our country. We are talking about "Bioparox", an antibiotic in the form of a spray, which for more than forty years was prescribed by doctors for bacterial infections of the respiratory tract and inflammation of the paranasal sinuses. The medicine helped both in acute inflammation and in a chronically neglected case and relieved symptoms in three days. However, since the spring of the last (2016) year, the drug has disappeared from pharmacies, it has ceased to be prescribed. And representatives of the French pharmaceutical company Laboratoria Servier made an official statement about the removal of the aerosol from production.
In this article, we will understand why Bioparox was banned in Russia.
What is this drug?
This drug had an inhibitory effect on bacteria and fungiof various kinds. At one time, it was a very popular drug with a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, sold in pharmacies without a prescription. This medicine was prescribed for diseases of the upper respiratory tract with the addition of infections, for example:
- inflammatory lesions of the mucous membranes of the sinuses of the nose;
- inflammatory reactions of the larynx;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose and larynx - with rhinitis and pharyngitis;
- acute inflammation in the bronchi and trachea;
- with the development of complications after the removal of the tonsils, as a prophylaxis or drug therapy.
But why was Bioparox banned in Russia? Let's figure it out.
Main active ingredient
The main active ingredient of this drug is the polypeptide antibiotic fusafungin, which has a good anti-inflammatory and bacteriostatic effect. This substance was isolated from a fungus that infects cereals. At one time in the 60s of the last century, the discovery of fusafungin was considered practically a revolution in medicine. The basis of the mechanism of action of this drug is the suspension of vital activity of microorganisms sensitive to it. It is not yet clear why Bioparox was banned in Russia. Understanding further.
Drug activity
The drug is active against most types of microorganisms that cause diseases of the upper respiratory tract: staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus, anaerobic bacteria (for life supportwhich do not need air), mycoplasmas, yeast-like fungi of the genus Candida. An important advantage of the drug was that it was not addictive to the microorganisms that cause the infection, and it could also be used for the next respiratory disease. The microflora that caused the infection did not develop resistance to this substance. Fusafungin had a depressing effect on the synthesis of elements that cause the inflammatory process, thereby preventing the development of acute areas of inflammation. Many people wonder why Bioparox was banned in Russia. Analogues should be no less effective.
Result
Accordingly, with a decrease in the level of inflammation, the swelling of the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs subsided. In general, the effect of this drug made it possible to significantly reduce the frequency of antibiotic prescriptions. Even with complicated angina, the duration of medication was reduced, and recovery came faster. The active substance of "Bioparox" did not penetrate into the blood, but concentrated mainly on the mucosa. Three hours after the procedure, the substance was removed from the respiratory tract. The drug was well tolerated by most patients, with few exceptions. In addition, no modern medicine can give such a fine spray. So why was Bioparox banned in Russia?
Reason for ban
Like any drug, this spray had a number of limitations in use and its own nuances, sometimes its administration was complicated by side effects. It could be:
- asthmatic symptoms;
- cough and bronchospastic syndrome;
- cramps of the larynx;
- burning and dryness of the mucous membranes of the respiratory organs;
- signs of intoxication;
- tearing and redness of the eyes;
- bad taste and change in taste;
- allergic manifestations in the form of a rash;
- anaphylactic shock, sometimes fatal.
This will be the answer to the question of why Bioparox was banned in Russia. How to replace it, we will tell below.
In various sources, two versions of the removal of "Bioparox" from production were discussed. According to the first, the drug was banned precisely because of the complications and deaths that arose. The facts of death led to mass checks in all states where this drug was sold. It should be noted that complications can arise from any drug if the patient neglects the recommendations and warnings of the manufacturer. The second version says that the pharmaceutical company "Tantum Verde" initiated an additional study of this medication in order to determine that the main active substance is dangerous for patients. The result of the research was the conclusion of experts, which spoke about the dangers of fusafungin, which was the source of all side effects, up to deaths.
That's why Bioparox was banned in Russia. Reviews confirm this.
The medication has been carefullytesting, and the panel came to some disappointing conclusions.
Reduced treatment effect
Over time, the therapeutic effect of this drug is significantly reduced, since the use of fusafungin causes pathogenic bacteria not only to mutate, but also acquire resistance to other antibacterial agents.
During the laboratory tests, two groups were formed, in one of them "Bioparox" was prescribed, in the second "dummy" was used. According to the results of the studies, it turned out that patients from both groups recovered almost equally, recovery was slightly delayed in the placebo group. As a result of these studies, Bioparox was banned in Russia. There were a lot of reviews about this.
Danger of bronchospasm
Complications such as bronchospasm can be fatal.
The risk of spasms was mentioned in the instructions, but not everyone knew that an allergic reaction in this case is life-threatening, and sometimes can simply lead to death. Doctors in Russia were also aware of such a danger, therefore, when prescribing the drug, they were always interested in the presence of allergic reactions in the patient. But in this case, scientists have found that spasm can occur in a patient who does not suffer from allergies, just such is the effect of fusafungin.
The benefit is less than the harm
The benefits of using this medication are disproportionately less than the possible complications (spasms,anaphylactic shock). That is, the existing risk of death from the use of "Bioparox" in this case is not justified by the relative ease of the course of diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Now Bioparox is banned in Russia. The reasons for this are very serious.
Spray, like all drugs based on fusafungin, was discontinued. Moreover, the remaining batches of medicines were withdrawn from pharmacy chains and doctors and patients were warned that it posed a danger to life. Although, according to many patients who took this drug, it had an excellent therapeutic effect and in some cases there is simply nothing to replace it with, since there are no analogues. Nevertheless, Bioparox was banned in Russia.
What to replace?
As we have already said, Bioparox does not have one hundred percent exact analogues, but recently the pharmaceutical industry has launched the production of even more effective antibacterial drugs that do not cause respiratory spasms. The list of medicines that can replace the above indicated spray is quite large, you can choose according to your wishes. First of all, this is a group of drugs brand "Tantum Verde" - antiseptics of various kinds ("Miramistin", "Gexoral", "Octenisept").
It can be medicines in the form of aerosols or eucalyptus-menthol tablets, as well as iodine-based preparations - all these medicines haveexactly the same effect with angina as Bioparox.
Also, your doctor may prescribe oral antibiotics.
As you can see, there are more than enough analogues, and many of them are much more effective and even surpass the drug with fusafungin due to the complex composition and the cumulative effect on all the symptoms of diseases. In addition to adult patients, this medication was also prescribed for children over 12 years of age.
And many parents, ignoring the instructions, used the medicine for children at a younger age, which naturally created a risk of complications. Therefore, the ban on the production of this spray from the point of view of the safety of our children is a completely adequate decision by medical specialists. They should not be neglected. It is better to purchase an effective analogue in a pharmacy and use it without fear of serious complications. Now you know the answer to the question of why Bioparox was banned in Russia.
