A clinical study of benzydamine for the treatment of radiotherapy-induced mucositis of the oropharynx.
A double-blind, randomized clinical study was undertaken to determine the analgesic and antiinflammatory effectiveness of benzydamine in patients with radiation-induced mucositis of the oropharynx. Of the 67 patients in the study, 37 patients were on benzydamine and 30 patients on a placebo. The results of the study showed that benzydamine possessed a significant analgesic activity as evidenced by relief of mouth and throat pain induced by radiation therapy. It is also noted that the patients on benzydamine exhibited a cumulative relief of oral pharyngeal pain and discomfort over the time of treatment, as compared to those on the placebo. These effects of benzydamine in the present study might be a result of the antiinflammatory property of the drug. The cumulative and prolonged effectiveness of benzydamine makes it of distinct value compared with the commonly available local anaesthetics such as lidocaine. Benzydamine appears to provide a useful addition to the therapeutic armamentarium for alleviating the symptoms of oral pharyngeal mucositis.
D000328:Adult; D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D001591:Benzydamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000528:radiation effects; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D010610:Pharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011897:Random Allocation
D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D011720:Pyrazoles; D001591:Benzydamine