Herbal medicines for respiratory ailments in pediatric practice

Abstract

Herbal medicines are frequently used for prophylaxis and adjuvant therapy of respiratory ailments in paediatric practice. In medical treatment of inflammation of respiratory mucosa, essential oils with antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties are frequently used and applied externally (ointments, baths), or internally (inhalations). In the same indication field, herbal preparations based upon the extracts of dalmatian sage leaves (Salviae folium) and plantain leaves or herb (Plantaginis lanceolatae folium/herba) are also commonly used. In the treatment of productive cough, the use of preparations derived from certain saponin-containing and aromatic herbal medicines, as well as the essential oils with secretolytic and secretomotoric action is justified. For relief of unproductive cough, phytopreparations containing mucilage (mucilaginosa) are useful. In paediatric practice, only the use of plant-derived diaphoretics is recommended for the treatment of feverish conditions (willow bark, Salicis cortex, as a herbal antipyretic, is contraindicated because of high salicylate content). For prophylaxis and adjuvant therapy of recurrent infections of the upper respiratory tract (common cold), the use of herbal preparations based on the extracts of certain Echinacea species is advised.

Biljni lekovi se često koriste za profilaksu i adjuvantnu terapiju respiratornih oboljenja kod dece. Za tretman inflamacije sluzokože disajnih puteva obično se koriste etarska ulja sa antiseptičnim i antiinflamatornim delovanjem i primenjuju u obliku preparata za spoljašnju (masti, kupke) ili unutrašnju upotrebu (inhalacije). U ovom indikacionom području često se primenjuju i preparati na bazi ekstrakata lista dalmatinske žalfije (Salviae folium) i lista ili herbe bokvice (Plantaginis lanceolatae folium/herba). Za terapiju produktivnog kašlja opravdana je upotreba preparata nekih saponinskih, aromatičnih droga i etarskih ulja sa sekretolitičkim i sekretomotoričkim delovanjem. Za umirivanje neproduktivnog kašlja koriste se biljni lekovi koji sadrže sluzi (mucilagonosa). Za snižavanje povišene telesne temperature, u pedijatriji se preporučuje samo upotreba biljnih dijaforetika (kora vrbe, Salicis cortex, kao biljni antipiretik, kontraindikovana je zbog visokog sadržaja salicilata). Za profilaksu i adjuvantnu terapiju rekurentnih infekcija gornjeg respiratornog trakta savetuje se upotreba preparata na bazi ekstrakata nekih Echinacea vrsta.