The role of herbal medicine in the treatment of chronic tonsillitis

Abstract

The article presents our own research data on systemic immunity status in patients with chronic tonsillitis (CT) and microbiological profile of the flora isolated from the tonsils in CT. The study showed that phagocytic index in neutrophils decreased by 81.9% and the phagocytosis in neutrophils reduced by 67.2% in patients with CT. We studied microbial flora of the tonsils and its persistent properties in CT. The steps for that were as follows: we evaluated the antilysocyme (ALA), anti-interferon (AIA), anticomplementary (ACA) activities of the isolated microorganisms as possible ways to stand against the oxygen-independent mechanism of phagocytosis. Most strains of Staphylococcus aureus had ALA, AIA and AСA, while most strains of Streptococcus pyogenes had ALA, less frequently AСA and did not show AIA. We found antibacterial polyresistance in 56.0% of pathogens among the selected strains in the examined patients with CT. A comparative analysis of species antibiotic resistance showed that the largest number of multiresistant strains were S.aureus - 62.0%. The set of revealed persistent properties of chronic tonsillitis pathogens serves as underlying rationale for the search for new methods of therapy using drugs of non-antibacterial origin, affecting the factors of bacteria resistance to inborn and acquired immunity. It is possible, and necessary that attention be paid to phytotherapy in the search for such new methods. Tonsilgon N is one of the complex phytotherapeutic products, which efficacy and safety has been proven in clinical trials, and the main pharmacological properties are confirmed in in vitro and in vivo preclinical studies. It contains marshmallow root, chamomile flowers, horsetail grass, walnut leaves, yarrow grass, oak bark, and dandelion grass. The clinical studies revealed that it has positive effect on the dynamics of both clinical and microbiological, immunological parameters in patients with chronic tonsillitis. All these things allow us to recommend that this complex herbal product be more often included into the comprehensive treatment of chronic tonsillitis.