Treatment of acute infections of the respiratory tract. The cytiolone-ampicillin relationship: A study of therapeutic effectiveness and tolerability

A random double-blind study is reported, investigating whether the addition of a mucolytic and muco-regulating drug such as cytiolone is advantageous over the antibiotic ampicillin alone in the treatment of a febrile infection of the respiratory system (acute bronchitis, acute tracheobronchitis and bronchial pneumonia with mucous hypersecretion). An expectoration volume greater than 20 ml per day was a criterion for participation in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups of 20 each. Each group received either (i) Mucorex-Ampicillin (0.3 g of cytiolone, 1.2 g of benzidine ampicillin and 0.3 g of sodium ampicillin) by i.m. injection once daily in the morning; or (ii) 1.2 g of benzidine ampicillin by one i.m. injection in the morning. The duration of treatment was seven days. The results indicate that the addition of cytiolone reduces the severity of the clinical pattern, with rapid improvement and a reduction of the principle symptoms. © 1990.