Efficacy of phytotherapy for viral respiratory infections with cough in children

Medicinal plants have been used for centuries, and in recent years their application has occupied a significant niche due to ongoing clinical research with herbal products developed using phytoneering techniques. Objective. This open-label comparative observational clinical study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of Bronchipret®, a complex herbal medicine with mucoactive and anti-inflammatory effects, for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) accompanied by cough in children compared to Ambroxol. Patients and methods. A total of 60 children aged 2–12 years old (mean age: 4.3 ± 1.6 years) with clinical signs of ARIs and acute bronchitis were examined. All children were divided into two groups: the study group (group 1, n = 35) received Bronchipret® syrup in age-appropriate doses; the comparison group (group 2, n = 25) received Ambroxol syrup in ageappropriate doses. The duration of treatment was 10 days. Clinical manifestations of the disease (temperature, cough, respiratory sounds) were evaluated in points before the beginning of treatment, after 5 and 10 days. Computer bronchophonography (CBPG) was used to assess external respiratory function (ERF). Results. There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline. Both groups showed positive dynamics against the background of treatment. In group 1, 80% of the children (n = 27) had no cough, while 20% (n = 7) had residual cough (0.33 ± 0.1 points) by the 10th day of treatment. In group 2, cough resolved in 64% of the children (n = 16) by day 10 of treatment, and 36% had an occasional wet cough during the day. All children had no nocturnal cough. Computer bronchophonography in both groups revealed normalization of the parameters of acoustic component of the respiratory function (ACRF) in the low-, medium-, and high-frequency ranges, indicating a decrease in inflammation in the respiratory tract. Conclusion. The use of Bronchipret® in acute respiratory infections with cough in children is not inferior in effectiveness to Ambroxol and is well tolerated. Key words: children, acute respiratory infections, cough, phytotherapy, Bronchipret®