Therapeutic effect of aerosol form of aprotinin against Influenza

Abstract

There was studied the therapeutic efficacy ofinhalations ofaerosolform ofaprotinin delivered by a propellant in the metered-dose inhaler (MDI). This clinical trial was performed during the winter-spring outbreak caused with pandemic Influenza H1N1pdmO9. Aprotinin (a natural antiprotease low molecular weight polypeptide from bovine lungs) is known to be an antiviral drug, which inhibits influenza virus proteolytic activation accomplished by host respiratory proteases. Patients inhaled 2 aerosol doses of aprotinin (160 Kallikrein-inhibiting Units (KIU)) each 2 hours for 5 days. In comparison group, patients were treated with Ingavirin (a synthetic peptidoamine with unknown antiviral target), 90 mg per dayfor 5 days. On day 2 after treatment viral loads in naso-pharyngeal washes were determined. In aprotinin patients about the tenfold decrease of viral load was determined in comparison to Ingavirin patients. Duration of clinical symptoms, such as rhinorrhea, weakness, headache, sore throat, cough, chest pains, fever, in aprotinin group was 1 -2 days shorter then in Ingavirin group. No side effects neither patient discomfort were revealed in aprotinin group of patients. MDI, containing aprotinin as an active substance, can be recommended as a drug against Influenza caused by different viruses, including seasonal H1 N1, H3N2, swine-like H1 N1 pdmO9, and avian-like H7N9 viruses.