Immunostimulants instructions for use. Immunomodulatory drugs - inexpensive and effective

Immunomodulators are a group of pharmacological drugs that activate the body's immunological defenses at the cellular or humoral level. These drugs stimulate the immune system and increase the nonspecific resistance of the body.

major organs of the human immune system

Immunity is a unique system of the human body that can destroy foreign substances and needs proper correction. Normally, immunocompetent cells are produced in response to the introduction of pathogenic biological agents into the body - viruses, microbes and other infectious agents. Immunodeficiency states are characterized by reduced production of these cells and are manifested by frequent morbidity. Immunomodulators are special preparations, united by a common name and a similar mechanism of action, used to prevent various ailments and strengthen the immune system.

Currently, the pharmacological industry produces a huge number of drugs that have immunostimulating, immunomodulating, immunocorrective and immunosuppressive effects. They are freely sold in the pharmacy chain. Most of them have side effects and have a negative effect on the body. Before purchasing such medicines, you should consult with your doctor.

Immunostimulants strengthen human immunity, ensure more efficient functioning of the immune system and provoke the production of protective cellular links. Immunostimulants are harmless to people who do not have immune system disorders and exacerbations of chronic pathologies.
Immunomodulators correct the balance of immunocompetent cells in autoimmune diseases and balance all components of the immune system, suppressing or increasing their activity.
Immunocorrectors affect only certain structures of the immune system, normalizing their activity.
Immunosuppressants suppress the production of immunity links in cases where its hyperactivity harms the human body.

Self-medication and inadequate intake of drugs can lead to the development of autoimmune pathology, while the body begins to perceive its own cells as foreign and fight them. Immunostimulants should be taken according to strict indications and as prescribed by the attending physician. This is especially true for children, because their immune system is fully formed only by the age of 14.

But in some cases, it is simply impossible to do without taking drugs of this group. In severe diseases with a high risk of developing serious complications, taking immunostimulants is justified even in babies and pregnant women. Most immunomodulators are low-toxic and quite effective.

The use of immunostimulants

Preliminary immunocorrection is aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology without the use of basic therapy drugs. It is prescribed to persons with diseases of the kidneys, digestive system, rheumatism, in preparation for surgical interventions.

Diseases in which immunostimulants are used:

congenital immunodeficiency,
malignant neoplasms,
Inflammation of viral and bacterial etiology,
Mycoses and protozooses,
Helminthiasis,
Renal and hepatic pathology,
Endocrine pathology - diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders,
Immunosuppression against the background of taking certain drugs - cytostatics, glucocorticosteroids, NSAIDs, antibiotics, antidepressants, anticoagulants,
Immunodeficiency due to ionizing radiation, excessive alcohol intake, severe stress,
Allergy,
Conditions after transplantation,
Secondary post-traumatic and post-intoxication immunodeficiency states.

The presence of signs of immune deficiency is an absolute indication for the use of immunostimulants in children. The best immunomodulator for children can only be selected by a pediatrician.

People who are most often prescribed immunomodulators:

Children with weak immunity
Elderly people with depleted immune systems
People with busy lifestyles.

Treatment with immunomodulators should be under the supervision of a physician and an immunological blood test.

Classification

The list of modern immunomodulators today is very large. Depending on the origin, immunostimulants are isolated:

Self-administration of immunostimulants is rarely justified. Usually they are used as an adjunct to the main treatment of pathology. The choice of drug is determined by the characteristics of immunological disorders in the patient's body. The effectiveness of drugs is considered maximum during an exacerbation of the pathology. The duration of therapy usually varies from 1 to 9 months. The use of adequate doses of the drug and proper adherence to the treatment regimen allows immunostimulants to fully realize their therapeutic effects.

Some probiotics, cytostatics, hormones, vitamins, antibacterial drugs, immunoglobulins also have an immunomodulatory effect.

Synthetic immunostimulants

Synthetic adaptogens have an immunostimulatory effect on the body and increase its resistance to adverse factors. The main representatives of this group are "Dibazol" and "Bemitil". Due to the pronounced immunostimulating activity, the drugs have an anti-asthenic effect and help the body recover quickly after a long stay in extreme conditions.

With frequent and protracted infections, for prophylactic and therapeutic purposes, Dibazol is combined with Levamisole or Decamevit.

Endogenous immunostimulants

This group includes preparations of thymus, red bone marrow and placenta.

Thymic peptides are produced by thymus cells and regulate the immune system. They change the functions of T-lymphocytes and restore the balance of their subpopulations. After the use of endogenous immunostimulants, the number of cells in the blood is normalized, which indicates their pronounced immunomodulatory effect. Endogenous immunostimulants enhance the production of interferons and increase the activity of immunocompetent cells.

Timalin has an immunomodulatory effect, activates regeneration and reparation processes. It stimulates cellular immunity and phagocytosis, normalizes the number of lymphocytes, increases the secretion of interferons, and restores immunological reactivity. This drug is used to treat immunodeficiency conditions that have developed against the background of acute and chronic infections, destructive processes.
"Imunofan"- a drug widely used in cases where the human immune system cannot independently resist the disease and requires pharmacological support. It stimulates the immune system, removes toxins and free radicals from the body, and has a hepatoprotective effect.

Interferons

Interferons increase the nonspecific resistance of the human body and protect it from viral, bacterial or other antigenic attacks. The most effective drugs that have a similar effect are "Cycloferon", "Viferon", "Anaferon", "Arbidol". They contain synthesized proteins that push the body to produce its own interferons.

Natural medicines include leukocyte human interferon.

Long-term use of drugs in this group minimizes their effectiveness, inhibits a person's own immunity, which ceases to function actively. Inadequate and too prolonged use of them has a negative impact on the immunity of adults and children.

In combination with other drugs, interferons are prescribed to patients with viral infections, laryngeal papillomatosis, and cancer. They are used intranasally, orally, intramuscularly and intravenously.

Preparations of microbial origin

Medicines of this group have a direct effect on the monocyte-macrophage system. Activated blood cells begin to produce cytokines that trigger innate and adaptive immune responses. The main task of these drugs is to remove pathogenic microbes from the body.

Herbal adaptogens

Herbal adaptogens include extracts of echinacea, eleutherococcus, ginseng, lemongrass. These are "soft" immunostimulants widely used in clinical practice. Preparations from this group are prescribed to patients with immunodeficiency without a preliminary immunological examination. Adaptogens start the work of enzyme systems and biosynthetic processes, activate the nonspecific resistance of the body.

The use of plant adaptagens for prophylactic purposes reduces the incidence of acute respiratory viral infections and resists the development of radiation sickness, weakens the toxic effect of cytostatics.

For the prevention of a number of diseases, as well as for a speedy recovery, patients are recommended to drink ginger tea or cinnamon tea daily, take black peppercorns.

Video: about immunity - School of Dr. Komarovsky

Now you rarely meet a person who managed to avoid a runny nose, cough, fever in the cold season. And if some people endure the disease quickly and are already on their feet in a few days, then others get out of the cold quite hard, with the development of various complications.

Immunomodulators and immunostimulants

The reason for the protracted course is a decrease in the body's resistance, which happens when immunity is insufficient. There are drugs that have some effect on the human immune system - immunomodulators. These funds stimulate defense mechanisms, while the body begins to effectively fight viruses and bacteria.

It should be said that there is confusion between concepts such as immunomodulators and immunostimulants. Many people think that these funds belong to the same group. However, there is a difference between them. Immunostimulants affect the nonspecific resistance of the body, increase the natural ability to resist infectious diseases.

Immunomodulators are used in the presence of malfunctions in the immune system and the restoration of its function. The group of immunomodulators includes immunosuppressants - drugs used to suppress the immune response. Such an action is necessary during the treatment of autoimmune and oncological diseases.

The drugs in this group have the following effect:

stimulate immune processes;
activate immunocompetent cells (these include T and B lymphocytes);
increase the body's resistance;
accelerate the processes of tissue regeneration.

The use of immunostimulants in infectious and infectious-inflammatory diseases helps a person to cope with the disease faster.

Depending on the origin, immunomodulators are:

exogenous origin - bacterial and herbal remedies;
endogenous origin;
synthetic.

Immunostimulants - herbal preparations

They are created on the basis of medicinal plants - clover, lungwort, echinacea, chicory, magnolia vine. They naturally restore defenses without negatively affecting hormonal balance.

Among the means of this group, echinacea has a powerful stimulating effect. This perennial plant has a rich composition: trace elements (selenium, calcium, silicon), vitamins. Echinacea preparations work:

anti-inflammatory;
antiviral;
antibacterial;
diuretic;
antiallergic;
detoxification.

Echinacea is a part of such medicines as Immunal, Immudon.

Immunal

The medicine consists of echinacea juice and ethanol, is available in drops. Immunal is used to increase the body's resistance to recurrent colds, during an influenza epidemic as a prophylactic measure, to prevent immunodeficiency during antibiotic treatment.

Herbal preparations are often used as immunostimulants for children (with frequent and prolonged colds). Use in pediatrics due to the fact that the funds are well tolerated and do not have a toxic effect. However, even such seemingly harmless drugs have their own contraindications. Herbal immunostimulants should not be used for autoimmune diseases, when the immune system is too active and produces antibodies against its own cells. Immunostimulants are contraindicated in leukemia, diabetes mellitus, individual intolerance, collagenoses.

Immunostimulants of bacterial origin

Effective means of this group are Immudon, IRS-19.

Immudon

The drug contains lysates of many bacteria and fungi, which are part of the tablets for resorption in the mouth. Immudon stimulates the production of lysozyme in saliva, and this substance has a detrimental effect on bacteria. It also has an immunostimulating effect.

Immudon is used for inflammatory diseases in the mouth (periodontal disease, gingivitis, stomatitis), as well as for inflammatory processes in the pharynx - pharyngitis, tonsillitis. Among the contraindications is individual sensitivity, the medicine has no side effects and is well tolerated by patients.

IRS-19

The product is produced in the form of a metered aerosol. Contains standardized lysates of inactivated bacteria. IRS-19 is used to treat respiratory diseases and inflammation in the oral cavity (rhinitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis), as well as to prevent complications of influenza and colds.

Immunostimulants of endogenous origin

Medicines are obtained from the thymus gland (thymus) and bone marrow. The thymus gland plays an important role in the functioning of cellular and humoral immunity. The maturation of lymphocytes and stem cells occurs in it, and the gland also secretes specific substances - hormones that affect the differentiation of lymphoid tissue cells. Extractive preparations (Timalin, Taktivin) are obtained from the thymus, which are used to treat immunodeficiencies with a predominant lesion of T-cell immunity (purulent and tumor diseases, tuberculosis, herpes).

The bone marrow preparation - Myelolid - is used to treat diseases that occur with damage to humoral immunity (leukemia, chronic infections, purulent diseases).

Endogenous stimulants also include nucleic acid preparations and cytokines. Cytokines are low molecular weight proteins that carry information about the functioning of the immune system, they are able to influence the processes of cellular interaction. There are many types of cytokines, but the most active are interleukins - substances secreted by leukocytes. Cytokines are used to treat purulent-septic diseases, wounds, burns and some types of tumors. Preparations - Betaleukin, Roncoleukin.

Synthetics

Medicines are obtained through scientific development and chemical synthesis. These include Polyoxidonium, Amiksin, Neovir.

Immunomodulators - drugs that modulate, change the immune system. Their use in ARVI or a cold is necessary if the protective reactions are weak and the immune response is insufficient. How to use immunomodulators for colds and SARS? And what drugs are produced by pharmaceuticals?

What is treated with immunomodulators

All human infections are conditionally divided into bacterial, fungal and viral. Antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, antimycotics are used to treat fungal infections, and antiviral agents and drugs with immunomodulatory effects are used to treat viruses.

If antibiotics are broad-spectrum drugs, effective against a wide range of bacterial microorganisms. That antiviral agents are strictly specific substances and act only on viruses of a certain type. So, the specific antiviral substance acyclovir acts on herpes viruses of the first, second and third types and is not ineffective in the treatment of herpes viruses of the fourth, fifth, sixth types.

No specific antidote has yet been found against many viral infections. Therefore, drugs with immunomodulatory effects are used for their treatment. They enhance immune reactions, speed up the immune response and allow the body to overcome a viral infection. Thus, immune modulators are used as drugs for the treatment of various viral infections. They also have some action against fungi and bacteria, but are mainly used against viruses.

Immunomodulators: composition and action

Drugs that modulate and stimulate the immune system may contain various active ingredients. A distinction is made between natural and synthetic modulators. In turn, natural preparations for immunity are divided into vegetable and animal (according to the nature of origin, according to the raw materials from which they are obtained).

Drugs from the same group have a similar effect, indications for use, a list of diseases and side effects. What do immune modulators contain?

Interferons and interferon inducers

Treatment with immunomodulators for colds more often than others uses drugs with interferon or its inducers.

This is the most famous and popular group of drugs that stimulate the immune system. They have minimal side effects (compared to other modulators), relatively low concentrations and are often prescribed in the treatment of colds, flu, SARS for different age groups of the population, children, adults, pensioners. Also, this group of drugs is promoted as an effective and safe prophylactic against seasonal colds.

As a rule, drugs contain human recombinant interferon (synthesized from biological tissues and is not a donor blood product). More often - it is interferon alpha, less often - beta and even less often - gamma. Also, immunomodulators may not contain ready-made interferons, but chemicals that stimulate the production of their own immune bodies in the human body. Why does a sick person need interferon?

Immunostimulants are substances that stimulate immune responses at the cellular level. They are essential for us to protect the body and fight external pathogens (bacteria, microorganisms, viruses).

Immunostimulants - the list of drugs includes: vaccines, hormones, vitamins, synthetic stimulants. Most often we meet with this group for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory viral infections.

Natural immunostimulants - list

Made with Echinacea purpurea extract. They contain active substances that help strengthen the immune system, suppress the growth and reproduction of microorganisms:

Immunal
Echinacea-ratiopharm
echinacea tincture
Echinacea compositum

Indications for use:

Uncomplicated viral infections
Prevention during epidemics
Antibiotic therapy against the background of reduced immunity

Their effectiveness in the fight against herpes and hepatitis viruses has also been proven.

Synthetic immunostimulants - list

The list includes the best immunostimulant drugs obtained in a laboratory way, but no less effective from this.

Cycloferon(acredoneacetic acid)

Stimulates the production of its own interferon in the body.
It has an immunostimulating, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antitumor effect.
Effective against influenza, herpes, hepatitis, papilloma, HIV viruses.
Enhances the effectiveness of antibiotics and can be prescribed for intestinal infections.

Amiksin (tiloron)- immunomodulatory and antiviral agent.

Stimulates the production of interferon, enhances the formation of antibodies and inhibits the reproduction of viruses.

For the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections, preparations containing interferon directly, and not just stimulating its production, are also used.

Interferon- a whole group of specific proteins that are produced by the body during the introduction of infectious agents.

Stimulates the immune system to fight viruses by changing inside infected cells.
Suppresses the synthesis of viral proteins and prevents further reproduction of viruses.

There are several forms of release of interferon:

For nasal administration:

Nazoferon
Laferon
Laferobion

Getting on the mucous membrane, it plays the role of a substance that enhances the immune response. According to some researchers, this form of release is not effective due to the short period of exposure to cells. However, clinical trials prove the effectiveness of such use in the prevention of viral infections.

Interferon-based immunostimulant preparations on the list can be recommended to children almost from birth, as well as to pregnant and lactating women due to their high safety and low side effects.

Immune preparations for vaginal and rectal administration

Produced in the form of suppositories (candles). This list complements the list of effective immunostimulant drugs:

Laferobion
Viferon
Genferon

This group of immunostimulant drugs provides a longer circulation in the blood than other methods of administration. They are prescribed as part of the complex therapy of infection-inflammatory processes, urogenital infections, the treatment of chronic and acute viral hepatitis.

Intramuscular administration - used on the recommendation of a doctor if there is a need for higher doses of the substance.

Preparations immunostimulants based on lyophilizate lysates of bacteria

Their mechanism of action is similar to that of vaccines. After entering the body, they are perceived as foreign bodies, and provoke the production of specific antibodies. They include the most common pathogens of infections of the upper respiratory tract and respiratory tract.

ribo munil
Broncho-munal
broncho waxing
Imudon

Indicated for the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases of the respiratory system (otitis media, bronchitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis).
It is possible to assign them to children from six months.

Immunomodulators are drugs that have a therapeutic effect on the human immune system. With the help of modern laboratories, several types of synthetic drugs have been isolated that stimulate the production of immune cells or are themselves human immunity cells. But even before the advent of modern technologies, components of plant origin were used, which also had a positive immunotropic effect.

Show all

Immunomodulators

Immunomodulators are drugs that help restore human immune defense factors. They are able to increase the low levels of the immunogram (a laboratory test method that shows the state of human immunity) and lower the increased ones. Depending on the degree of the effect shown, drugs are divided into immunosuppressors (suppress immunity) and immunostimulants (activate the activity of immune defense).

Classification of immunomodulators:

Microbial - they are obtained from various structural subunits of bacteria. There are natural (Ribomunil, IRS-19, Imudon, Bronchomunal) and artificial (Likopid).
Thymic - the preparations of this group include components of the thymus. The natural ones include Taktivin, Timalin, the artificial ones - Timogen and Bestim.
Bone marrow includes components of red bone marrow cells. Representatives of this group of immunomodulators: Mielopid and Seramil.
Cycotins contain cells of the immune system. Natural: Leukinferon, Superlymph. Recombinant, that is, obtained artificially with the help of genetic engineering: Roncoleukin, Leikomax and Betaleukin.
Nucleic acid preparations containing components of the nuclei of the main pathogens. Natural: Derinat and sodium nucleinate. Synthetic: Semi-dan.
Herbal preparation - immunal. It contains a natural immune system activator.
Chemical preparations: Levamisole, Gepon, Glutoxim, Alloferon.
Interferons and their inducers: Viferon, Arbidol, Cycloferon.

Microbial immunomodulators

The main drugs of this group (Imudon, IRS-19, Bronchomunal) contain constituent components of infectious agents in children and adults. The composition of microbial immunomodulators contains ribosomes and lysates of the following microorganisms:

Klebsiella is one of the most common causative agents of pneumonia in children.
Streptococcus - more often affects the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract of older patients.
Haemophilus influenzae - is the cause of the development of nosocomial pneumonia in patients older than 2 years.

Medicines of microbial origin can be prescribed as a prevention of diseases caused by the above pathogens, and for treatment.

A characteristic difference of Ribomunil from other drugs of this group is the presence of pneumonic Klebsiella in the composition of the cell wall component - this increases the formation of specific immunity and the production of antibodies in the body. Likopid is the most modern drug from the group of microbial immunomodulators and belongs to the third generation of drugs, as it contains a component of cells of many gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, licopid is a broad profile remedy.

Microbial immunomodulators are used for:

Prevention and treatment of frequent respiratory viral infections (rhinitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, adenoiditis, tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia).
Prevention of diseases in people with a burdened history who are at risk with bronchial asthma, urticaria, hay fever, chronic tonsillitis, etc.

Drugs of this group are used for treatment and prevention only in children older than 6 months, and if allergic intolerance is suspected and if there is a history of atopic diseases, the drug is contraindicated.

Thymic immunomodulators

Thymic preparations were obtained from protein extracts obtained from the thymus of cattle (cow, bull). List of drugs: Taktivin, Timalin, Timoptin, Timimulin. Taktivin is the most effective remedy, since, in addition to thymus proteins, it contains a specific hormone that activates the activity of the thymus in the patient. Medicines of this group are approved for use in many countries of Europe and America.

The clinical effect of using thymic lyophilisates is an increased production of lymphocytes and leukocytes, which leads to an increase in the protective functions of the immune system. The disadvantage of taking thymic immunomodulators is the impossibility of separating the protein structures contained in the thymus of animal origin, so there is a high risk of developing an allergic reaction. For the treatment or prevention of various diseases in children, I use a synthetic drug - Bestim, which was obtained in the laboratory and does not have animal protein components.

Indications for the appointment of drugs in this group:

Acute or chronic infectious diseases of the respiratory system: influenza, herpes, tonsillitis, bronchitis, tracheitis.
Decreased indicators of cellular immunity in the immunogram under the influence of various factors (chemical, bacterial, viral).
Violation of hematopoietic processes: decreased blood clotting, multiple hematomas, anemia of unknown etiology.
Acceleration of regenerative and recovery processes in the postoperative period.
Prevention of diseases in risk groups (frequently ill children, premature babies, who have changed their place of residence) in the autumn-winter period.

Thymogenic immunomodulators are contraindicated during pregnancy, lactation and if there are signs of drug intolerance (itching, peeling, headache).

Bone marrow preparations

The first drug in this group is Mielopid, which contains bone marrow activator proteins isolated from the blood of pigs. Myelopid consists of 6 protein structures, each of which performs a specific function:

1. stimulates the synthesis and production of antibodies;
2. increases the humoral activity of the immune system by activating the production of immunoglobulins;
3. increases the activity of leukocytes circulating in the blood;
4. restores the necessary ratio between different fractions of lymphocytes;
5. activates neutrophilic and macrophage phagocytosis;
6. normalizes the differentiation of immune cells in the bone marrow.

Bone marrow immunomodulators were made as a means of increasing humoral immunity, but during testing and use of drugs in patients, an additional antitumor effect was found. Bone marrow immunomodulators are able to suppress the growth of malignant tumors by inhibiting chemical processes inside the object.

Among the drugs of this group, drugs were synthesized containing only a certain type of myelopeptide to obtain a specific effect:

Seramil - contains a myelopeptide that has an antibacterial effect.
Bivalen is a universal anticancer drug.

Drugs are prescribed for:

immunodeficiency states associated with damage to the humoral link (malignant neoplasms of the bone marrow, the period of rehabilitation after chemotherapy);
severe course of the recovery period after injury or injury;
severe purulent diseases and septic conditions;
leukemia;
treatment of bacterial and viral infections that are not amenable to standard methods of therapy;
prevention of colds and other diseases.

Bone marrow preparations should not be prescribed during breastfeeding, during pregnancy, children under 3 years of age and with allergic intolerance to the drug or its individual components.

Cytokines

Cytokines are modern immunomodulators, which are divided into natural and recombinant preparations. The first group includes drugs with the following names: Superlymph, Leukinferon. They contain ready-made immune cells of the acute phase of inflammation, obtained from the blood of donors, which was previously treated with strains of viruses. When ingested, leukinferon cytokines are sent to the site of inflammation immediately, and it would take a person several days to produce their own cytokines. Superlymph is the only cytokine preparation intended for the correction of local immunological disorders.

The second group of drugs is recombinant, its representatives are roncoleukin, molgramostim. If natural cytokine agents contain several different types of interleukins and immunity factors, then recombinant ones contain only one type of interleukins. Roncoleukin contains interleukin 2 - this is the most important cytokine of the body's immune system, which regulates the activity of lymphocytes and the production of antibodies. Betaleukin contains interleukin 1, which is responsible for the activation of phagocytosis processes.

Cytokines are prescribed for the following conditions:

secondary immunodeficiency associated with a lack of vitamins and exposure to weather conditions on a person;
purulent inflammatory diseases of internal organs: acute peritonitis, acute pancreatitis, myocarditis, cystitis with ureaplasma, endometritis, severe pneumonia, septic conditions.
bacterial infections in debilitated patients: pulmonary tuberculosis in a person with bad habits, osteomyelitis, abscess of various localization, arthritis.
extensive burns of various origins.

In children, they are used only for the treatment of sepsis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, abscess, osteomyelitis and generalized infections. Medicines of this group should not be used by pregnant women, people with allergic yeast intolerance (since many drugs are isolated by genetic engineering from yeast fungi), with metastatic lesions of internal organs and the brain. Recombinant cytokines, in particular roncoleukin, are allowed to be used in children from birth.

Nucleic acid based immunomodulators

Medicines in this group are bone marrow and thymus activators, resulting in an increase in the number of immune system cells: lymphocytes, interleukins, tumor necrosis factor, etc. Sodium nucleinate is a purified sodium salt from nucleic acid, which was obtained from yeast . The drug contains many precursors of leukopoiesis - nucleic acids, therefore, after taking, there is an increase in the patient's immune status and recovery. Sodium nucleinate contributes to the rapid division and growth of any cells, including some bacteria. Derinat was synthesized later. A more advanced tool is Polydan - it contains RNA and DNA components isolated from sturgeon.

The main therapeutic effect of drugs from the group of nucleic acids is the activation of the production of interferons in the body, due to which the immune response increases, and the person copes with the infection faster.

Preparations of this group are used for the treatment and prevention of the following conditions and pathologies:

acute respiratory viral disease - SARS;
oral cavity and nasopharynx: atrophic rhinitis, stomatitis, tonsillitis;
chronic diseases of internal organs: cystitis, pancreatitis, gastritis, endometritis, etc.;
burns;
gangrene or diabetic foot;
necrosis and destruction of soft tissues that develop after radiation therapy.

Contraindication is only individual sensitivity or intolerance to drugs. Medicines based on nucleic acids are prescribed even for pregnant and lactating women, children are prescribed drugs for the treatment of acute respiratory viral infections from birth, since they do not cause harm to health.

Among the adverse reactions, moderate hypoglycemia is noted, which resolves on its own after discontinuation of the use of drugs.

Immunal

Immunal is an immunomodulator of plant origin, which is produced on the basis of Echinacea purpurea extract. It has a powerful effect on the body by:

Activation of the synthesis of granulocytes, in particular cells of cellular immunity - lymphocytes.
Acceleration of phagocytosis, which contributes to the rapid disposal of the pathogen.

Immunal is most effective against the influenza virus and herpes. The drug is prescribed for:

treatment of viral diseases;
prevention of acute respiratory viral infections and acute respiratory infections in frequently ill children and adults;
treatment of secondary immunodeficiencies caused by prolonged use of antibiotics.

An immunomodulator of plant origin is not recommended for the treatment of tuberculosis, blood cancer, connective tissue diseases, congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies. Among the side effects, patients note the appearance of shortness of breath, an increase in blood pressure, narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi. If the above symptoms appear, you must stop taking the medication.

Chemical immunomodulators

Low molecular weight chemical immunotropic drugs (older) include Levamisole. It was first synthesized and used as a remedy for helminthic invasions, but later active immunostimulating effects were discovered. Diucifon was created as a medicine to combat pulmonary tuberculosis, therefore it has a good antibacterial effect. It contains methyluracil, which leads to the activation of immunity. Drugs that simultaneously have immunostimulatory and antibacterial activity are the most promising and should be used more often for the treatment of infectious diseases.

High-molecular immunomodulators include polyoxidonium, which contains various oxides. They act on the nitrogenous compounds of the body, stimulating their synthesis. Effects of polyoxidonium:

antioxidant;
detoxification;
membrane stabilizing;
immunomodulatory.

Chemical immunomodulators are also used for the treatment and prevention of acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, bacterial infections, etc.

Interferons and their inducers

The drugs of this group have pronounced immunomodulatory effects that act exclusively in the fight against viral infection. Main representatives: interferon alpha and gamma. Once in the body, they affect all cells of the immune system, and are themselves sources of immune cells. The drugs are used to treat acute viral infections as an etiological antiviral therapy. Interferon inductors - Arbidol and Interferon - contribute to the production of endogenous interferons, therefore, they are more often prescribed as a prevention of viral diseases.

A contraindication for the use of drugs in this group is intolerance to the components, pregnancy and lactation. Side effects have not been identified. For convenient use in young children, drugs are available in the form of anal suppositories, and for adults, drugs are prescribed in tablet form.

When using immunomodulators, it is important to remember that you should first consult with an immunologist. You can not drink medicines on your own, as they have a powerful effect on the immune system. Preparations of different groups have their own characteristics, which must be taken into account during the course of treatment. Some have their own scheme of application up to several times a day, which leads to the desired therapeutic effect. Other medicines are recommended to be used at regular intervals.