Reading time: 8 minDid you know that in Italy orevery year they register 3,000 cases of bronchitis out of 100,000 people?
This means that approximately the 5% of the population general (2,950,000 people) experiences an episode of bronchitis acute Everything is fine year.
8.5% of the Italian population (approximately 5,000,000 people) is affected by chronic bronchitis.
The 90% of people with bronchitis turn to their doctor or pharmacist to receive advice on treatment, wanting to resolve or at least alleviate the discomfort.
But what is a cough?
Coughing is a defense mechanism that, physiologically, has two distinct purposes:
- Prevent foreign material from entering the trachea.
- Keep the lower airways clear.
How many types of cough are there?
- dry cough, not accompanied by sputum, which in most cases arises due to external stimuli
- productive or productive cough, accompanied by sputum
It can also be:
- acute: if it lasts less than 3 weeks;
- subacute: if it lasts between 3 and 8 weeks;
- chronic: if it lasts more than 8 weeks per year for at least 2 consecutive years
What causes cough?
- Irritation from irritants such as smoke, dust, pollution or foreign bodies
- Dehydration of the mucosa from too dry air
- Environmental as alterations of the microclimate
- Climate by variations in temperature or humidity
- Of viral or bacterial originas in the case of influence And cold common, or in cases of bronchitis And pneumonia
- Allergic
- Gastroesophageal reflux cough
- Cough secondary to other pathologies
Dry cough
Its purpose is to prevent solid or liquid particles from entering the trachea.
It is caused by mechanical stimulation of receptors located on the mucous membranes around the epiglottis.
To prevent solid or liquid particles from entering the trachea during swallowing, the epiglottis folds to close the entrance to the trachea. If this closure is not immediate or complete, some particles will touch mechanical receptors located near the entrance to the trachea.
Even during aspiration, foreign particles such as crumbs, flies and the like can reach the throat, causing the same response.
Stimulation of the mechanical receptors causes a nerve signal to be sent to the cough center located in the medulla oblongata.
The cough center, which is partially under voluntary control, evaluates the opportunity to
intervene; if so, it sends signals to the chest muscles and the epiglottis so that the epiglottis closes the trachea and the chest muscles contract; this creates pressure inside the lungs;
the epiglottis opens suddenly and the pressure is released with a cough producing a violent flow that blows away the foreign material.
Irritative cough
When outside air is inhaled, it passes over the pharyngeal mucosa and, especially if it is dry, tends to dehydrate it. Under normal conditions, the flow of saliva is sufficient to keep it hydrated, compensating for evaporation. However, when the oropharyngeal mucosa is dehydrated, the cough stimulus occurs even if there is no foreign body to remove, and the coughing fits continue to recur.
The same thing happens if the mucous membranes are irritated, for example by smoking or a virus. This causes a dry, irritating, and nonproductive cough.
The chesty cough
The air that enters with breathing through the upper airways is sent by the trachea towards the two bronchi and from there it is divided into the network of bronchioles, at the end of each of which are the
clusters of pulmonary alveoli. These are surrounded by a dense network of capillaries through which venous blood from the heart flows.
The outside air is therefore separated from the blood only by a few thin membranes that allow gas exchange: the oxygen from the inspired air goes to oxidize the hemoglobin in the blood and in exchange the carbon dioxide is released from the blood into the air that will be exhaled.
However, the air we breathe in contains not only gases but also atmospheric dust that settles in the lungs with its own bacterial load.
Given the delicacy of the pulmonary environment, it is clear that dust entering the lungs must be
continuously eliminated.
This is done by the bronchial mucus and the ciliary system that line the bronchial walls.
The mucus It is a solution of mucoproteins (mucins) in water; mucins have many bridges
disulfide which, by connecting to each other, make their solution viscous.
The ciliary system It is made up of a carpet of cells equipped with cilia that move in a coordinated manner and push the mucus upwards.
The dust that has entered the lungs sticks to the mucus and is transported with it by the ciliary movement towards the bronchi, then towards the trachea and up to the esophagus to be swallowed.
When the transport mechanism is impaired, mucus builds up, obstructing the passage of air and requiring removal. The baroreceptor system detects the obstruction and signals it to the cough center, which responds by coughing to expel the obstruction.
The mucus transport system can be altered for various reasons:
- The ciliary system is weakened, for example by a viral infection, and is unable to move the mucus upward, which then accumulates; in this case, coughing will be effective and will expel the mucus;
- The bronchial wall is inflamed (for example, in a cold) and has therefore increased water secretion; the mucus has thus become more abundant but also more fluid, so the cilia are unable to grip and push it against gravity: the mucus slides down and accumulates at the bottom. In this case too, coughing will be effective in clearing the airways;
- As the cold resolves, water secretion tends to return to normal, but sometimes it decreases excessively; this results in a thin but very viscous mucus that can be eliminated by repeated coughing.
How can we intervene with lifestyle?
The mucous membranes need to be rehydrated and protected, a task that is normally carried out by saliva, therefore
we can:
- administer water: the effectiveness is limited in time because the water does not remain on the mucous membranes;
- stimulate salivation by eating sweets, preferably natural and sugar-free.
Which nutraceuticals can help us?
The Plantain
There Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Plantaginaceae family, it has properties butchery, expectorants, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and astringents and is indicated for inflammation of the throat and respiratory tract in general, such as cough, bronchial catarrh, chronic bronchitis, hay fever, sinusitis, and for inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth and urogenital system.
It can be used as an infusion or decoction, combined with other balsamic and expectorant plants, or as a liquid extract or syrup to soothe coughs and dissolve phlegm, and as a soothing and anti-inflammatory adjuvant for whooping cough and bronchial asthma. The mucilages contribute to the soothing effect by layering on the walls of the bronchial mucosa, thus protecting them from further aggression.
The Ivy
The very common ivy, Hedera helix, has modern experimental and clinical studies.
The irritant properties of saponins give the drug mucolytic properties, accompanied by a spasmolytic and bronchodilatory effect, by action on the beta 2-adrenergic receptors.
Older studies have also highlighted antibacterial properties for ivy saponins.
A mixture of saponins has demonstrated antibacterial properties against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus spp., Enterococcus spp., Streptococcus spp.) and Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas spp., E. coli, Proteus vulgaris). These properties were confirmed by studying ivy leaf extract, which was able to inhibit the growth of bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. It also demonstrated antifungal activity, also demonstrated in in vivo studies, and antiviral activity.
Several clinical studies confirm the effectiveness of ivy-based preparations in treating coughs.
The Hedge Mustard
Wallflower (Sisymbrium officinale or Erysimum officinale) is a plant in the Brassicaceae family. Known for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, wallflower is useful for vocal cord disorders and respiratory tract inflammation.
It boasts anti-inflammatory, cough-relieving (which helps fight coughs) and emollient action on the respiratory tract.
These properties are given by the presence of mucilage, flavonoids and sulphur compounds.
Used successfully in case of:
- Raucedine.
- Aphonia (temporary loss of voice).
- dysphonia (lowering of the voice).
- throat inflammation such as: laryngitis, pharyngitis and tracheitis.
The plant is in fact called “singers' herb” precisely because of these properties of wallflower, which are useful for treating disorders that arise following strain on the vocal cords.
Altea
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) is widely used today both in folk medicine and in modern preparations.
This medicinal plant is known for its soothing and emollient properties, primarily due to the high mucilage content in its roots and leaves. It has a decongestant effect on the oral cavity and respiratory tract in general, making it an expectorant and sedative for flu, colds with phlegm, and coughing fits.
Several studies have evaluated consumer perceptions and satisfaction with the efficacy and tolerability of Marshmallow-based preparations for dry coughs and oral and pharyngeal discomfort.
How can we use nutraceuticals to protect ourselves from the annoying and irritating cough that persists?
Nature comes to our aid, providing extraordinary solutions that we can scientifically develop and combine in the form of syrups, to provide relief and well-being to children and adults with bronchitis, dry or chesty coughs, and acute, chronic, and subchronic inflammation of the upper airways.
Nutrifarma has studied 4 natural products that offer effective solutions and multiple advantages:
- 99.5% natural syrup for children and adults;
- without synthetic sweeteners;
- multiple valence for chesty, dry and chronic cough;
- rapid relief from cold syndrome;
- expectorant, soothing, antibacterial, fluidifying, emollient action and improves voice tone;
- in classic bottles;
- practical single-dose, ready-to-drink pocket-sized sticks;
- reduces the risk of product waste, using only what is necessary for the treatment;
- reduces the use of packaging materials;
- Junior syrup naturally contains sugars from honey and apple juice.
Sanatuss Line: 100% natural liquid supplements, in bottles or in convenient sticks, for adults and for children.
In case of:
- Cold syndrome.
• Acute or chronic bronchitis.
• Dry cough.
• Chesty cough.
• Rhinitis.
• Hoarseness (aphonia and dysphonia)
Ivy
Ivy extract contains bioactive compounds such as phenols and triterpene saponins that have antitussive, expectorant, and bronchospasmolytic effects.
Plantain
Plantain has been used for centuries in various physiopathological contexts. The plant extract contains numerous active ingredients, including iridoid monoterpenes, mucilages, and flavonoids with anti-inflammatory properties, primarily affecting the respiratory tract, as well as cough suppressants and expectorants, making it particularly useful for inflammation of the oral mucosa or pharyngitis.
Hedge Mustard
Sisymbrium officinale appears to possess therapeutic properties, especially in the pathophysiological context of aphonia and hoarseness, so much so that it is known in popular tradition as the "singers' herb." It is used for respiratory tract ailments such as laryngitis, pharyngitis, coughs, the common cold, and sore throats. It is also recognized for its marked anti-inflammatory properties.
Honey
Honey contains various types of polyphenols (flavonoids and phenolic acids) which have antioxidant activity.
Honey helps thin secretions and also has an antibacterial effect. Thanks to its sugar content, it can provide significant energy support in cases of nutrient deprivation due to poor appetite, typical of feverish conditions.
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