Hexoral for purulent sore throat: effectiveness

Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the throat are always an indication for combined treatment, using oral and external drugs. External agents, represented by antimicrobial and antiseptic solutions, play a special role in the therapeutic scheme. For example, the well-known drug Hexoral for sore throat significantly increases the effectiveness of other medications taken orally. Thanks to Hexoral, the disease is cured faster.

Antibiotic Sore Throat Sprays

To destroy pathogenic bacteria in most microbial diseases, antibiotics are required. Most patients with tonsillitis often ask the doctor to prescribe an antibiotic not only for internal use, but also for external use - for example, for irrigation or rinsing of sore tonsils. Indeed, a comprehensive approach is necessary, and the impact on the source of the inflammatory process should be comprehensive. However, here it is necessary to correctly explain the situation.

Antibiotics are a series of substances synthesized by special microorganisms, which, in turn, are capable of having a detrimental effect on other living cells - mainly prokaryotic and protozoan. Today, this is a large group of drugs, each representative of which has its own spectrum of antibacterial action and indications for use. The first known antibiotic was penicillin: almost a hundred years have passed since then, and the number of antibiotics used in medicine is rapidly increasing.

Antibiotics are produced in different medicinal forms. These can be tablets, capsules, powder, ointments, creams and injection solutions (or lyophilisate for the preparation of such a solution).

As for the spray or aerosol, they do not use antibiotics as such, but antiseptic and antimicrobial substances - for example, hexetidine, which belongs to a series of external antiseptics. Therefore, the phrase "spray with antibiotic" is not entirely correct.

Among the most well-known sprays based on hexetidine are Stopangin, Maxikold and Hexoral.

Indications hexoral for a sore throat

The main indications for the use of Hexoral are the following diseases:

• tonsillitis (lateral ridge tonsillitis, Plaut-Vincent, catarrhal and purulent tonsillitis);
• inflammation of the gums, bleeding, pharyngitis;
• periodontal inflammation, stomatitis, inflammation of the tongue tissue;
• aphthous ulcerative processes;
• alveolar lesion after tooth extraction;
• fungal infections of the oral cavity and tonsils.

Hexoral can be used before and after oral surgery, as well as to get rid of foul odor.

Hexoral for purulent tonsillitis

It is impossible to imagine the treatment of purulent tonsillitis without local procedures. Such procedures involve the use of drugs containing antiseptics, essential oil, and painkillers. But such treatment should always be supplemented by taking antibiotics and other auxiliary drugs - for example, immunostimulants, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory drugs.

For gargling, you can use both universal remedies (furacilin, soda or salt solution, herbal decoctions), and specially designed drugs - such as Hexoral. Thorough gargling allows you to wash the tonsils from pus, wash away plaque, which consists of food particles, microbes, dead leukocytes, necrotic tissue.

You can also use lozenges for purulent tonsillitis: it is recommended to dissolve them in the mouth after meals, alternating with rinsing and/or irrigation with the same Hexoral. Using aerosol preparations is convenient: the procedure can be carried out even when you are outside the home. The smallest particles of the spray will penetrate deep into the throat, providing a therapeutic effect in the most inaccessible areas.

But the use of the drug for viral tonsillitis is not always justified: the antiseptic destroys only bacterial and fungal flora, and does not affect the viral infection in any way. Hexoral for herpetic tonsillitis can be prescribed only for the prevention of secondary microbial infection, as well as to combat it. In addition, the presence of an analgesic component in Hexoral lozenges allows them to be used as a pain reliever for sore throats, including herpetic tonsillitis.

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Release form

Hexoral can be used to treat angina using several dosage forms. These forms differ in composition, have different pharmacokinetic properties, but have common pharmacodynamics, as they are based on one active ingredient.

• Hexoral spray for sore throat can be used in adults or children from the age of three. The advantages of hexoral aerosol are its versatility and ease of use: the medicinal solution effectively irrigates areas affected by inflammation, penetrating even into hard-to-reach places. The spray is used for any type of bacterial sore throat: purulent, lacunar, follicular form of the disease. The active ingredient is hexetidine.
• Hexoral solution is used for rinsing the mouth and tonsil area. The basis of the preparation is hexetidine and ethanol. The product does not need to be diluted: it is ready for use.
• Hexoral lozenges are not only a medicine, but also a tasty treat that children enjoy. Lozenges can be given to a child of almost any age: the main thing is that the baby holds and dissolves the drug in the mouth, without swallowing it or inhaling it (so as not to choke). In addition to the basic active ingredient, the lozenges contain the pain-relieving component benzocaine, the antiseptic chlorhexidine and other components, including flavoring and aromatic additives.

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Pharmacodynamics

The active ingredient of Hexoral is Hexetidine, a substance with a rapid and long-lasting antiseptic effect. The drug has an antimicrobial and antifungal effect against a wide range of pathogens that can cause sore throat. Hexetidine is also known for its wound-healing, hemostatic and analgesic properties.

The antimicrobial effect is manifested in vivo/in vitro against gram (+) and gram (-) microbes, as well as fungal infections (including yeast fungi).

When using Hexoral for sore throat, plaque may appear on the teeth and mucous membranes: such plaque represents residual concentrations of Hexetidine. Tests using the labeled substance have demonstrated that the drug can be detected in the tissues of the oral cavity for 8-10 hours after a single application. In some cases, the substance was detected in the tissues even 65 hours after the last application.

Pharmacokinetics

There is no clear clinical information regarding the kinetic properties of the drug. It is known that Hexoral has an external effect, so its absorption through mucous tissues is insignificant.

The close affinity of the active ingredient to proteins and polymers causes its binding to microbial cells and also affects its residual concentration effect. Antimicrobial action can be detected approximately 10-14 hours after application.

The absorption of the drug when applied locally has not been studied.

The kinetic properties of Hexoral when used in patients with impaired renal and/or hepatic function have not been studied.

Dosing and administration

• Hexoral solution for sore throat is used for gargling. Such gargling should be repeated two or three times a day, after meals. The duration of one gargling is about half a minute. The amount of solution for one gargling is about 15 ml. Gargling should be done carefully to avoid accidental swallowing of the liquid. In case of purulent sore throat, this solution can be used to lubricate the inflamed tonsils.
• For sore throat, Hexoral spray is sprayed deep into the throat, thoroughly irrigating the surface of the tonsils. For treating a child, spraying continues for one second, repeating up to 2 times a day, after meals. For adults, spraying can last 2 seconds, and repeating the treatment is allowed up to four times a day (after meals and always before bedtime).
• Hexoral lozenges are not swallowed or chewed, but slowly dissolved in the mouth. To relieve the condition of sore throat, children need to take 4 lozenges per day. The daily dosage for adults is one lozenge every two or three hours.

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Application for children

Children suffer from tonsillitis more often than adults, and this is considered a common occurrence: after all, a child's immune system is formed over the course of 12-14 years. During all this time, the body must learn to resist infection. Young children are especially often diagnosed with the most severe form of the disease - purulent tonsillitis. Therefore, treatment should be comprehensive in order to speed up the onset of relief, because it is very painful for the baby to swallow, he loses his appetite, and his temperature rises.

What medicine should you choose to help your baby as effectively and safely as possible?

A medicine for sore throat should quickly fight inflammation, destroy pathogenic microbes, and at the same time should act gently, not aggressively, so as not to disturb the shaky immunobiological balance in the child's body. Hexoral is presented in several dosage forms recommended for use in pediatrics.

If the child is already three years old, then Hexoral in the form of a gargling liquid can be added to the treatment of angina. It does not matter that the child does not yet know how to gargle independently: the tonsils can simply be lubricated with a solution using a cotton swab or a bandage wrapped around a finger. From this age, it is allowed to use an aerosol form of the medicine.

Aerosols for children against sore throat (including Hexoral) act quickly and practically do not enter the systemic circulation, so the risk of systemic side effects can be called negligible. But it is still necessary to ensure that the baby holds his breath at the moment of injection of the product, so as not to accidentally swallow the solution.

Oral lozenges are very popular with older children. They can be offered to a child from the age of four, and some varieties - for example, Hexoral Extra - only from the age of twelve. How can you tell if a child can already take lozenges? If he can hold the lozenges in his mouth until they dissolve completely, without swallowing the drug or chewing it, then you can offer them to him without fear.

Use hexoral for a sore throat during pregnancy

Due to insufficient information on the kinetic properties of Hexoral preparations, they should not be used during pregnancy without special indications. It is not known for sure whether Hexetidine and its metabolic products enter breast milk, so it is better to refrain from using Hexoral during lactation.

A small amount of the drug can enter the systemic bloodstream. Most experts consider it unlikely that the drug will have a negative effect on fetal development or the health of a nursing child. However, unless absolutely necessary, it is better not to use Hexoral for sore throat in pregnant and lactating patients.

Contraindications

It is better to replace Hexoral with another drug for sore throat if there are such contraindications to its use:

• hypersensitivity to the active ingredient Hexetidine, or to the auxiliary components of the product (essential oils, levomenthol, azorubin, benzocaine, etc.);
• atrophic processes in mucous tissues.

The possibility of using Hexoral to treat sore throat in an infant should be discussed with a pediatrician. Many specialists, given the insufficient amount of information about the pharmacological properties of the drug, do not recommend prescribing it to children under three years of age.

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Side effects hexoral for a sore throat

Even such a seemingly harmless drug as Hexoral can cause the following side effects when treating angina:

• hypersensitivity reactions (skin rash, edema, laryngo- or bronchospasm);
• improper functioning of taste buds;
• cough, difficulty breathing;
• thirst, difficulty swallowing, dry mucous membranes in the mouth, nausea;
• allergic dermatitis;
• local signs (transient changes in the color of mucous tissues and teeth, burning, numbness in the mouth, the appearance of rashes and ulcers);
• allergic reaction (patients who are sensitive to the effects of acetylsalicylic acid are especially susceptible to allergies).

Most side effects are transient and disappear after the end of treatment of angina with Hexoral.

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Overdose

If a large amount of Hexoral solution is accidentally swallowed, alcohol poisoning may occur, since the drug contains ethanol.

The concentration of the active ingredient Hexetidine in the preparations is not dangerous and is not toxic (provided that the medication is used as directed).

To date, there have been no recorded cases of overdosing on Hexoral resulting in hypersensitivity reactions.

General principles for treating overdose are as follows:

• use of symptomatic drugs;
• gastric lavage (it is advisable to do this within two hours after swallowing the medication);
• the patient should drink large amounts of clean drinking water or other liquid.

Interactions with other drugs

No special and clinically significant interactions of other medications with Hexoral have been found. However, experts do not recommend using several antiseptic solutions simultaneously and on one area. This can lead to an unpredictable reaction, and also negatively affect the condition and quality of mucosal restoration.

The active ingredient Hexetidine is reported to be rendered inactive by alkaline liquids and solutions, so such combinations should be avoided.

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Storage conditions

Hexoral preparations (aerosol, solution, lozenges) are recommended to be stored at a temperature not exceeding +30°C. It is optimal if the medication is stored in the original packaging, out of the reach of ultraviolet rays and children. The medicine cannot be frozen.

Hexoral solution should not be used if more than six months have passed since the bottle was opened.

Shelf life

Hexoral preparations can be stored for up to two years (provided that the medications have not been opened and the packaging has not been damaged).

Hexoral for sore throat: are there any analogues?

Complete analogues of the drug Hexoral, which can also be used for sore throat, are:

• Hexosept spray 0.2%;
• Stomatidin 0.1% solution for rinsing;
• Stomolik 0.1% solution for rinsing.

These drugs are represented by the same active ingredient that is present in Hexoral – we are talking about Hexetidine.

Hexoral can also be replaced with other external agents whose action is as close as possible to it.

• Proposol can easily replace Hexoral for sore throat. This drug is also available as an aerosol, but the active ingredient is not Hexetidine, but propolis, a well-known beekeeping product. In addition to a strong antimicrobial effect, Proposol helps strengthen local immunity, improves metabolic processes, and accelerates tissue regeneration. Another special property of this drug is its pronounced antioxidant activity: propolis protects tissues from the effects of free radicals and peroxide compounds. However, it should be taken into account that Proposol, like other beekeeping products, can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, this drug should be used with caution for the first time, after a preliminary allergy test.
• Miramistin is used for sore throat no less often than Hexoral: both of these drugs have a broad antimicrobial spectrum of activity and are highly effective in many infectious diseases. Miramistin activates the immune non-specific reaction, stimulates immune cells, and accelerates the healing of inflamed tissues. The solution for sore throat can be used to lubricate mucous membranes or to rinse - 4-6 times a day.
• Tantum Verde for angina plays the role of an analgesic and an inflammatory blocker. This drug is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, its action is based on the effect of the active ingredient benzydamine hydrochloride. Tantum Verde is available in pharmacies in various dosage forms, including lozenges, spray, and gargling solution. This drug is well suited to complement the main treatment of angina, including its purulent form.

Patient Reviews

Today, any pharmacy offers a huge selection of all kinds of drugs that can fight pathogenic microorganisms. In what cases do patients choose Hexoral? If a person feels an unpleasant burning sensation, pain in the throat, if it becomes difficult to swallow, or other uncomfortable symptoms occur in the pharynx area, then this most often indicates the development of diseases such as pharyngitis (infectious lesion of the pharynx), laryngitis (inflammatory process in the larynx), tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils, sore throat). Judging by the reviews, Hexoral for sore throat is one of the best options for patients of any age category. The drug quickly relieves acute pain. However, it should be remembered that the treatment of the inflammatory process should be carried out not only with local drugs, but also with systemic medications with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Therefore, the general treatment regimen should be prescribed only by an otolaryngologist, pediatrician or therapist.