Drugs that increase immunity

How to strengthen immunity? To lead a healthy lifestyle, to eat right, to temper, and, if necessary, to take special drugs that increase immunity.

Immunity is a complex system that provides resistance to infectious, viral and bacterial invasions that can harm our health. Weakness of immune defense is one of the direct causes of frequent illnesses in humans.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

Indications for use of drugs that increase immunity

Preparations that increase immunity are used for therapeutic and preventive purposes:

• in acute and chronic respiratory pathologies and influenza;
• with infectious and inflammatory diseases of the oral cavity;
• with ulcer of stomach and duodenum;
• with chronic infectious diseases of the urinary system;
• before and after surgery;
• with herpetic and cytomegalovirus infection, with chlamydia;
• with acute intestinal infection;
• with neuroinfectious lesions (borelliosis, meningitis);
• with chronic hepatitis of viral etiology;
• with AIDS in stage 2A-3B;
• as a prophylaxis in the period of mass morbidity of ARVI.

Form of issue

Drugs that increase immunity, can be produced in various forms:

• in the form of usual or enteric-dissolving tablets for oral administration;
• in the form of tablets for resorption in the oral cavity;
• in the form of a solution or powder for injection;
• in the form of liniment or ointment for external use;
• in the form of a tincture of 40 ml, 50 ml, 100 ml in dark translucent jars;
• in the form of capsules for internal use;
• in the form of rectal and vaginal suppositories.

Pharmacodynamics

1. Herbal immunostimulants. The effect of plant preparations is explained by the properties to stimulate immunity at the cellular level, enhance the phagocytic ability of macrophage cells and activate targeted migration of cells. Prolonged use of such drugs can increase the nonspecific immunity and resistance of immune forces to external effects.
2. Immunostimulants based on the effects of bacteria. The mechanism of action is reminiscent of vaccines: a specific dose of a drug consisting of weakened or dead bacteria-probable infectious agents-is injected into the bloodstream. As a result, the body synthesizes antibodies to these bacteria. These immunostimulants affect bacteria, allowing you to prevent pathology, or to accelerate recovery.
3. Immunostimulators based on nucleic acid. They have multiple properties: they accelerate the healing and repair of tissues, activate the function of the bone marrow and the formation of leukocytes, stimulate the phagocytic activity of macrophage cells and form the unspecific resistance of the organism.
4. Interferon preparations. Prevent damage to the body by viruses, stimulate protective functions.
5. Means of the thymus gland. Recover an adequate response of the body to pathogenic stimuli, activate immunity at the cellular level, accelerate the processes of phagocytosis, improve the cellular metabolism.

Pharmacokinetics

The pharmacokinetic properties of the drugs have not yet been studied, or insufficiently studied.

What drugs increase immunity?

Drugs that are designed to increase immunity, a lot. They can be divided into several groups.

1. Herbal immunostimulants. Such drugs are suitable for both preventive and therapeutic purposes. They have a minimal amount of side effects, are effective and harmless. These drugs include immune, extracts of eleutherococcus, magnolia vine and ginseng.
2. Immunostimulants based on the effects of bacteria. The action of such drugs is similar to vaccines: the enzymes of bacteria stimulate the synthesis of immune bodies and strengthen the immune defense. These drugs include ribomunil, broncho-munal, lycopid, imudon, IRS.
3. Immunostimulators based on nucleic acid. Such means include, for example, sodium nucleate, which inhibits the growth and development of streptococcal and staphylococcal infections.
4. Interferon preparations. Effective in the initial stage of acute respiratory viral infections. For preventive purposes, such drugs are not used. Interferon-containing drugs include injections of leukocyte interferon, viferon, influferon, arbidol, anaferon, amixin, etc.
5. Means of thymus gland, apply only as prescribed by the doctor. Such means include tactivin, thymalin, etc.

Drugs that increase immunity in children

Immune protection in children has a number of characteristics. For example, the child from birth and up to six months of immunity keeps on immunoglobulins, which were passed on to the baby from the mother. After six months, the immune reserve is depleted, and the child becomes more susceptible to all kinds of bacteria. Independent child synthesis of immunoglobulins can only be performed from the age of six, and finally its immune system will be formed only by the time of puberty.

The use of drugs that increase immunity in children can be justified in the following situations:

• the baby is sick more than six times a year;
• usual angina or runny nose are characterized by a protracted course, often complicated by other pathologies (inflammation of the ear, sinusitis);
• a cold usually lasts a long time, its treatment is ineffective.

Of course, the doctor should decide the question of the appropriateness of prescribing immunostimulants to a child.

As a rule, from the age of three it is already possible to prescribe herbal preparations, such as immunal, echinacea, schisandra. Babies up to 3 years of age are stimulated with interferons: laferobion, influferon, gammaferon.

Nucleic acid preparations (ridostin, derinat) are prescribed only after the child reaches the age of 3 years.

In addition, pay attention to the nutrition of the child, play with it more often, walk in the open air, and in the mornings do an uncomplicated morning gymnastics. Thus, you will significantly strengthen your baby's immune system.

[10], [11], [12], [13]

Drugs that increase immunity in adults

To increase the weakened immunity in an adult, it is sometimes advisable to use several drugs in the complex. First, this method of treatment will be more successful, and secondly - you can use the minimum dose of each drug.

Every year, with weak immune protection, it is allowed to pass from 3 to 4 treatment-and-prophylactic courses. In particular, it is recommended to take drugs during a mass incidence of influenza, or simply in the off-season, when the body receives the minimum amount of vitamins with food. The duration of taking medications should not be too short: usually the effect of them is observed only after 7-14 days from the beginning of treatment.

Relatively recently, pharmacy chains presented qualitatively new drugs aimed at increasing immune defenses. These are such agents as polyoxidonium and galavite. Studies have shown that these medications are effective even with critically weakened immunity. Perhaps the only drawback of these drugs is still a very high cost.

Undoubtedly, with severe immune pathologies, the drugs used must also be serious, and in some cases it is recommended to vaccinate to raise immunity. For example, serious diseases such as encephalitis, diphtheria, and even influenza can provoke the development of quite serious complications. Vaccination will allow the body to resist a specific disease.

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Preparations that increase immunity for herpes

A significant drop in immunity can be observed during viral infectious diseases (especially in chronic form). For this reason, specialists developed special medications for the treatment of a viral infection, for example, herpes, inductors of interferon. Such drugs are designed to activate the synthesis in the body of its own interferon. In addition, such drugs have fewer side effects than interferon medications.

There are several advantages of induction drugs:

• low price of drugs;
• lack of addiction;
• duration of action even with a single application;
• lack of interaction with other drugs.

In the fight against herpes, domestic specialists use various interferon-inducing medications. Among them - kagocel, amixin, ridostin, tsikloferon, poludan. Sometimes the treatment with such drugs is combined with the use of acyclovir, famciclovir, etc. The main condition for the effectiveness of treatment is the timely administration of drugs.

Dosing and Administration

Tincture of Echinacea is usually used in a dosage of 5 to 15 drops 2-3 times a day.

Cycloferon requires the appointment of a schematic medication. Treatment is signed for each day. The tablet is taken, as a rule, once daily before meals, without chewing, with plenty of water.

Immunal take an average of 20 drops three times a day, with a small amount of water. The course of therapy is from 1 to 8 weeks.

Imudon use 8 tablets per day, every 3 hours. Duration of treatment is about ten days.

Broncho-munal is taken in the morning before a meal, 1 capsule per day, for 2 to 4 weeks.

Polyoxidonium is used in the form of intramuscular or intravenous injections, or vaginal suppositories. Dosage is prescribed depending on the pathology existing in the body.

Before starting treatment with drugs that increase immunity, carefully read the instructions to the drug. Do not start taking the medication without consulting a doctor.

Use during pregnancy

List of drugs that increase immunity, which can be used during pregnancy, is not so great. This is because many drugs have simply not been tested in pregnant and lactating women. Such experiments require large financial investments, and not every pharmaceutical company can afford it.

However, there are some drugs that are allowed during pregnancy (of course, after consulting a doctor):

• viferon - allowed to use from the 14th week of pregnancy and throughout the lactation period;
• Oscilococcinum is a homeopathic drug that can be used after consultation with a doctor;
• drops Beresh-Plus - immunomoduliruyuschy drug, which has a general strengthening effect;
• Vitamin complexes: Vitrum Prenatal, Elevit Pronatal, Teravit Pregna, Pregnavit, Multitabs for pregnant women, etc.

Prohibited during pregnancy: amixin, immunophane, groprinosin, anaferon, sodium nucleate, trimunal, broncho-munal, echinacea, polyoxidonium, etc.

Contraindications to the use of drugs that increase immunity

Contraindications to the use of drugs that increase immunity are:

• pregnancy and lactation (in some cases);
• hypersensitivity of the organism to the components of the drug.

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Side effects of drugs that increase immunity

1. Plant immunostimulants have virtually no side effects. Sometimes allergic reactions are possible, which manifest themselves as skin rashes, vomiting and digestive disorders.
2. Immunostimulants based on the effects of bacteria can sometimes cause dyspeptic disorders (vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain).
3. Immunostimulators based on nucleic acid: soreness at the injection site, pain in the stomach, difficulty breathing, lower heart rate.
4. Interferon preparations can cause quite a lot of side effects that manifest themselves in the form of skin rash, allergic reactions, furunculosis, digestive system disorders, hemopoietic disorders, cardiac activity, development of depressive conditions.
5. Means of thymus gland can cause the development of allergic reactions.

Overdose

Symptoms of overdose are usually manifested by increased side effects of drugs. Treatment of an overdose is symptomatic.

Interactions with other drugs

Polyoxidonium and interferon are perfectly combined with any antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal drugs, as well as with chemotherapy drugs.

It is necessary to avoid the simultaneous use of thymalin with T-activin, thymactide, thymogen and thymoptin, preparations having a similar mechanism of action.

Storage conditions

Drugs that increase immunity should be stored in dry, dark places, at t ° up to 25 ° C. Suppositories are stored exclusively in the refrigerator.

The shelf life of the drugs you can learn from a special annotation, enclosed in the packaging.

Preparations that increase immunity, it is better to appoint after a thorough examination of the state of the body's defenses. Such a study is called an immunogram.