Bronchial mucus

Anti catarrhal. The mucus-reducing activity of elder may be due to its high potassium content, but in any case this plant helps to clear up bronchial mucus, hay fever and sinus congestion. Both flowers and berries help to dry up a runny nose. When the flowers are taken before hay fever season they help to lessen its severity. A gargle made of elder blossoms steeped in vinegar can be used to treat sore throats and tonsillitis. Elder has even successfully treated catarrhal deafness and children s croup. A tea made of elder flowers can ease hoarseness and make the voice clear. Parts used flowers, berries. 

Bromhexine is unlikely to exert its effects only on bronchial mucus information regarding its activity in other organs and secretions involving acid mucopolysaccharides is awaited with interest. If its ability to enhance the diffusion of antibiotics (and possibly other drugs) is substantiated, a very wide scope for the use of bromhexine would be opened up. 

Inhalation in the form of an aerosol (p. 12), a gas, or a mist permits drugs to be applied to the bronchial mucosa and, to a lesser extent, to the alveolar membranes. This route is chosen for drugs intended to affect bronchial smooth muscle or the consistency of bronchial mucus. Furthermore, gaseous or volatile agents can be administered by inhalation with the goal of alveolar absorption and systemic effects (e.g inhalational anesthetics, p. 218). Aerosols are formed when a drug solution or micron-ized powder is converted into a mist or dust, respectively. 

Drug deposited on the mucous lining of the bronchial epithelium is partly absorbed and partly transported with bronchial mucus towards the larynx. Bronchial mucus travels upwards due to the orally directed undulatory beat of the epithelial cilia. Physiologically, this Lullmann, Color Atlas of Pharmacology... 

The efficiency of mucociliary transport depends on the force of kinociUary motion and the viscosity of bronchial mucus. Both factors can be altered pathologically (e.g., in smoker s cough, bronchitis) or can be adversely affected by drugs (atropine, antihistamines). 

Bronchial secretion. Premedication with atropine before inhalation anesthesia prevents a possible hypersecretion of bronchial mucus, which cannot be expectorated by coughing during intubation (anesthesia). 

Dust particles inhaled in tobacco smoke, together with bronchial mucus, must be removed from the airways by the ciliated epithelium. Ciliary activity, however, is depressed by tobacco smoke mucociliary transport is impaired. This depression favors bacterial infection and contributes to the chronic bronchitis associated with regular smoking. Chronic injury to the bronchial mucosa could be an important causative factor in increasing the risk in smokers of death from bronchial carcinoma. 

Mucous airway obstruction. Mu-colytics, such as acetylcysteine, split disulfide bonds in mucus, hence reduce its viscosity and promote clearing of bronchial mucus. Other expectorants (e.g., hot beverages, potassium iodide, and ipecac) stimulate production of watery mucus. Acetylcysteine is indicated in cystic fibrosis patients and inhaled as an aerosol. Whether mucolytics are indicated in the common cold and whether expectorants like bromohexine or am-broxole effectively lower viscosity of bronchial secretions may be questioned. 

Apart from histamine, leukotiienes liberated during inflammation are more powerful bronchoconstrictor and longer acting. Leukotrienes also increase bronchial mucus secretion and increase vascular permeability. All the leukotrienes are derived from 5-lipoxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid and are synthesized by a variety of inflammatory cells in the airways e.g. eosinophils, mast cells, basophils and macrophages. The LTB, exert many... 

As noted in Section HE, both layers decrease the absorption rate, especially of large water-soluble molecules, since the diffusion coefficient is directly proportional to the reciprocal values of both the hydrodynamic radius and the viscosity of the layers. About the influence of absorption enhancers on mucus rheology very little is known. Bib salts and phospholipids are known to reduce the viscoelasticity of bronchial mucus aid probably also of mucus layers in the gastxointestinal tract [40. Hie results should be interpreted with caution since it is not the observed macro )viscosity that determines the diffusion rate in polymer... 

Slayter H.S., Lamblin G., LeTreut A., Galabert C., Houdret N., Degand P. and Roussel P. (1984) Complex Structure of Human Bronchial Mucus Glycoprotein. Eur. J. Biochem. 

Increased production of nasal and bronchial mucus, resulting in respiratory symptoms. 

The physiological effects of the sulphidopeptide leu-kotrienes, including LTC4, are potent contraction of bronchial smooth muscle, contraction of arterial, arteriolar and intestinal smooth muscle, enhanced permeability of post-capillary venules and enhanced bronchial mucus secretion. Because of their potent effects on the airways, leukotrienes have long been regarded as important molecules in the pathogenesis of asthma. Because of this, and the multicellular provenance of leukotrienes many comprehensive reviews have been written on these molecules to which the reader is referred (Ford et al., 1994 Chanarin and Johnston, 1994 Valone et al., 1994). 

ADHATODA The leaves of Adhatoda vasica, Nees, family Acanthaceae, are used in India. The constituents include the alkaloid vasicine (peganine), which has a mucolytic effect, i.e. lowers the viscosity of the bronchial mucus by depolymerisation and makes it more liquid, so that it can be transported. The mucocilliary transport of mucous to the periphery depends on the mucous having certain rheological properties. The drug is used as mucolytic in cough mixtures in the form of a liquid extract. 

Bran, Y., Forey, F., and Gammondes, J. P. (1981). Levels of erythromycin in pulmonary tissue and bronchial mucus compared to those of amoxycillin. J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 8,459 66. 

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is the major class of antibody in external secretions, such as saliva, tears, bronchial mucus, and intestinal mucus. Thus, IgA serves as a first line of defense against bacterial and viral antigens. The role of immunoglobulin D (IgD) is not yet known. Immunoglobulin E (IgE) is... 

Thofe, which arife from the internal furface of the bronchia, and which imbibe moifture from the atmofphere, and a part of the bronchial mucus, are called pulmonary abforbents. 

It has traditionally been a primary herb of choice for treating colds and flu. It is especially useful for children in that it is safe in large quantities and yet tastes quite good. A relatively unknown fact is that ginger s antitussive (anticough) action rivals that of codeine, and its strong expectorant and antihistamine actions help thin bronchial mucus and move it up and out of the system. This makes it a perfect herb for upper... 

Figure 11. The dynamic viscosity of bronchial mucus, or normal.

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