Shostakovsky Balm is an antiseptic drug. With its help, wound surfaces, ulcerative lesions of the skin and mucous membranes are treated. In medicine, it is also called "Vinylinum."
Peruvian balm
The history of this drug begins around the middle of the 30s. There were no antibiotics at that time, and streptocide was just entering the practice. Therefore, surgeons needed new, more effective means in order to treat purulent processes. After many studies, scientists decided to test Peruvian balsam, extracted from some species of South American pine.
Their results were positive - with the help of the medicine it was possible not only to suppress external purulent processes, but also to prevent the development of gas gangrene. Since 1940, bandages with Peruvian balm have become widely used in surgery.
Synthetic analogue of Peruvian balm
But the demand for the drug was growing very quickly, which provoked a deficit. Therefore, scientists began to look for a synthetic tool that would be an analogue of the Peruvian. Soon, the Soviet scientist Mikhail Fedorovich Shostakovsky was able to synthesize an artificial therapeutic balm by polymerization of vinyl butyl ether.
As a result, Shostakovsky balm has become an analogue of natural Peruvian balm. In addition, a synthetic medicine has some pharmacological properties that are not characteristic of natural. And the most important of them is absolute harmlessness, which is caused by the fact that it does not penetrate deep into the cells of the body.
Nowadays, the form of the drug is balm in bottles made of dark glass and having a volume of 100 g. The main active ingredient of the drug is polyvinox.
Pharmacological properties
"Vinylinum" (Shostakovsky's balm) is used both externally and taken orally. The active components of the drug are characterized by pronounced antiseptic and wound healing effects. When hit on the wound surface, the balm performs the following functions:
- actively fights pathogenic microorganisms;
- dries the lesion;
- accelerates regeneration processes.
In addition, Shostakovsky balm is used for internal use. With its help, the ulcerous surfaces of the mucous membranes of the digestive canal heal and scar faster.
Numerous patient reviews indicate that Shostakovsky balm significantly accelerates the healing of sores and skin cracks. In this case, pain sensations become less intense after the first use.
The use of balm in dental practice
Found Shostakovsky's balm ("Vinilin") application in dental practice. Also, its Peruvian counterpart was used to fill gangrenous root canals . Liquid or semi-liquid fillings better enveloped and adhered to the walls of the channel.
Balm is often used in conjunction with iodoform. Also, its introduction into the gangrenous canals was practiced immediately before filling the tooth.
Since the synthetic “Vinylinum” (Shostakovsky's balm) is cheaper and more accessible, and also has anesthetic and bacteriostatic properties, it can be successfully used in dental practice instead of the natural Peruvian counterpart.
Vinylinum in X-ray therapy
Scientists V. A. Sondak and A. I. Ruderman proposed the use of Shostakovsky balm when carrying out x-ray therapy of malignant neoplasms. At the same time, they used a 20% solution of vinyl with butter (vegetable) oil. It was used after each x-ray session, 1 tablespoon inward to prevent the occurrence of inflammatory reactions on the mucous membranes. In order to treat the resulting inflammation of the esophagus mucosa with Shostakovsky balm, you need to increase the dose to 1 tablespoon every 4 hours.
In order to prevent the occurrence of dry and weeping epidermitis, it is necessary to lubricate the skin of the irradiated patient with balsam after each session. Treatment of dry epidermitis involves daily lubrication of affected skin with the drug. At the same time, weeping forms of the disease are first treated with hydrogen peroxide, and only after that a gauze bandage soaked with "Vinylinum" is applied. In the treatment of x-ray ulcers, it is first recommended to treat them with penicillin on novocaine, and then apply a napkin with Shostakovsky balm.
The use of Shostakovsky balm in dermatology
Synthetic balm "Vinylinum" is used to treat various pustular skin diseases that have streptococcal or staphylococcal type of origin. These include:
- impetigo;
- ectims;
- ulceration after carbuncles and boils.
The use of the balm contributes to the good cleansing of such pathologies from pus, and the release of putrefactive odor, if any. In this case, the inflammation subsides quickly enough, and the pain disappears.
Shostakovsky balm treatment of various erosive and ulcerative skin processes of diverse origin is widespread. In particular, those that arose as a result of diseases such as:
- carbuncles;
- boils;
- ectims;
- hydroacetinites;
- abscesses of the skin and lymph nodes, etc.
After the drug is introduced into the cavity of the abscesses or fistulous openings, their size and depth are significantly reduced, healing and scarring are significantly accelerated.
Shostakovsky's balm corresponding to the natural analogue is used for scabies, which has no complications in the form of ostiofolliculitis and folliculitis. The drug has no effect on them, because it is difficult to absorb through the stratum corneum. So when applying "Vinylinum" eosinolia in the blood is reduced, often observed with scabies.
In addition to all this, Shostakovsky balm is actively used for the treatment and prevention of such dermatological diseases as:
- cracks and extensive erosion with epidermophytosis;
- eczema
- occupational dermatitis;
- skin rashes on the face resulting from gastritis with high acidity (vulgar and red acne), etc.
The use of the drug in surgery
In surgery, the use of Shostakovsky balm is associated with the treatment of fresh as well as obsolete wounds and burns. With the help of this drug, the growth of microorganisms is significantly delayed. In most cases, after the second ligation, the microflora is absent. In addition, the cytological picture changes dramatically: the phagocytic function increases, the number of neutrophils increases, which provokes vigorous destruction of microorganisms by phagocytes.
It is easy to use Vinylinum in surgical practice.
- First you need to conduct a preliminary wound toilet.
- Directly apply a gauze dressing moistened in balsam to the wound surface. You can also just fill the wound with balsam and apply a regular dressing.
In the treatment of thermal or chemical burns of varying degrees, balm is applied directly to the surface of the wound.
Other possibilities of using the drug in surgical practice include:
- air disinfection in operating units;
- use as anesthesia for small operations;
- use as an additive to nitrous oxide and oxygen.
Side effects
Almost all patients normally tolerate this medication.
But sometimes there are side effects such as:
- allergic skin reactions in the form of a rash, itching, tightness;
- dryness and peeling of the skin at the places of application of the drug;
- pain in the abdomen, violation of the stool.
Nowadays, many experiments are carried out using Shostakovsky balm, which opens up new and broader prospects for him.