S.N. Luley,
Reader and Head of the Department of E.N.T.

and

V. Kalbande,
Student, E.N.T. Department.,
Indira Gandhi Medical College, Nagpur.

Septilin is an Ayurvedic preparation which contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory principles.

Septilin has been reported by Behl and Tripathi¹ to stimulate phagocytosis. Cahn and Hirsh² demonstrated the presence of an antibacterial protein, phagocytin, in the cytoplasmic granules of polymorphs. Pagocytin has an antibacterial effect on both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms.

Septilin produces a rise in the phagocytic coefficient, which corresponds with clinical coefficient, which corresponds with clinical improvement in chronic infections resistant to the commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotics. Septilin improves the defence mechanism of the body. Septilin is excellently tolerated and can be given for prolonged periods without developing drug resistance or untoward reactions. Similar observations have also been made by Gadre,³ Lakshmipathi,⁴ Vishwakarma⁵ and Sheth.⁶

This study on Septilin was conducted at the Dept. of E.N.T., Indira Gandhi Medical College, Nagpur from September 1983 to February 1984. In all, 182 patients attending the E.N.T. Out-patients’ Dept. were included in this study. Out of these, 100 patients completed a 3 weeks’ course of drug treatment and only they were evaluated.

The patients selected were having tonsillopharyngitis, chronic suppurative otitis media or chronic maxillary sinusitis. All the patients had also taken other drugs in the past without much improvement.

In some cases swabs of the throat, ear and nose were taken for culture and sensitivity tests before starting Septilin treatment. The same bacteriological examinations were repeated after completion of treatment.

Each patient was reviewed after a week and the progress was noted, depending on the improvement in signs and symptoms. The results were classified into four groups, i.e. "Very Good", "Good", "Fair" and "Poor".

Out of the 100 patients, 57% were females and 43% males. The maximum number of patients (47%) were in the 21-30 age group. The youngest patient was 5 years old and the oldest 60.

In 60 patients with tonsillitis and pharyngitis the commonest symptom was discomfort in the throat which was present in all cases and showed improvement in 50% of them. Dryness of the throat improved in 89%, halitosis in 86%, pain in the throat in 62% and sticky secretions disappeared in 63% of cases.

Out of the 25 cases of chronic suppurative otitis media, the ears became dry in 17 patients (68%). Improvement in other signs and symptoms included headache (100%), foul smell (71%) and deafness (24%). There was no change in the tympanic membrane perforations.

15 cases of chronic maxillary sinusitis completed the treatment. Table 4 shows significant improvement in sinus tenderness in 100%, headache in 87% and nasal discharge in 80% of cases. Reduction in the size of the inferior turbinate, though in only 50% of cases, is also significant. More prolonged treatment would seem necessary in these cases.

Before treatment, bacteriological examinations and sensitivity tests were done in 25 cases. After treatment they showed sterile cultures in 19 cases (76%) and no change in 6 cases (24%). Table 5 shows the details.

The dosages employed were as follows:

(a) In adults — 2 tablets, t.i.d.

(b) In children — 1 tablet, t.i.d.

Therapy was continued for 3 weeks in all the patients. Only in 8 cases was the treatment continued for 5 weeks. Clinical improvement was noticed in 34 cases from the 1st week, 33 cases from the 2nd week and 18 cases from the 3rd week.

No other antibacterial agents were used during the trial. Only in some cases antihistaminics, gargles and nasal decongestants were employed as required.

The following critieria were used to assess the results:

As Table 6 reveals, "Very Good" results were seen in 6%, "Good" in 61%, "Fair" in 19% and "Poor" in 14% of cases.

1. The main aim of our study was to establish an effective alternative to common antibiotics which are used extensively in spite of their higher cost and toxic side-effects. Both these important factors decide the course of treatment in the majority of cases in our country. Septilin is an antibacterial agent which is economical and does not cause any side-effects evern after prolonged administration in full doses (2 tablets t.i.d.).

2. Our study comprised 100 patients suffering from various E.N.T. infections. Forty-three were males and 57 females.

3. There were 60 cases with tonsillitis and pharyngitis, 25 with chronic suppurative otitis media and 15 with chronic maxillary sinusitis.

4. In adults, the dosage of Septlin was 2 tablets t.i.d. In children it was 1 tablet t.i.d. Therapy was continued for 3 weeks in all patients.

5. The result were as follows:

The cases in our study had taken other aemotherapeutic agents previously without much relief. In such resistant cases, a cure rate of 67%, (i and ii above) for Septilin is really noteworthy.

6. The significant improvement in signs and symptoms in tonsillitis, pharyngitis, chronic suppurative otitis media and chronic maxillary sinusitis proves the efficacy of Septilin.

We are thankful to the Dean, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Supt. General Hospital, Nagpur, the Prof. of Microbiology and The Himalaya Drug Co., Bombay for helping us to conduct this study.

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