INFLUENCE OF THE SECRETOLYTIC DRUG GELOMY RTOL(R) FORTE ON MUCOCILIARY CLEARANCE OF THE MAXILLARY SINUS

Background: To date, there has not been sufficient experimental eviden ce to demonstrate the pharmacological effect of secretolytic and mucol ytic drugs. Methods: Scintigraphic studies to detect the mucociliary c learance in the maxillary sinus before and after application of the se cretolytic drug Gelomyrtol(R) forte were performed on four healthy per sons and one patient after sinus surgery. The most important parameter was the mucociliary transport velocity of the ''region of interest-ma xillary sinus'' and the increase of radioactivity accumulated in a tam pon placed in the middle meatus of the nose. Measurements were done wi th a gamma-camera, 99 m Technetium-sulphurcolloid was used as the radi opharmacentical. A dose of 1 MBq in 0,2 mi NaCl-solution was injected into the maxillary sinus. Results: The results show a clear increase o f mucociliary transport velocity in the maxillary sinus after intake o f secretolytics in connection with an increase of radioactivity in the tampon. Discussion: The results can be explained by the secretolytic and secretomotoric effects of the investigated drug. Conclusion: The s tudy reveals that ethereal oils have secretolytic effects and also hav e a pharmacological effect on the mucociliary apparatus.