To begin with, azithromycin is classified as an antibiotic that stifles well the so-called atypical pathogens - all sorts of chlamydia, mycoplasma and legionella.
Atypical (atypical) pneumonia is more difficult to detect and more difficult to manage. The causative agents of these pneumonias are able to hide inside cells.
At some point, they noticed that there was more benefit from azithromycin for severe pneumonia than expected. They began to think and guess until they figured out that azithromycin and similar drugs from its macrolide group have the so-called immunomodulatory effect.
Scientific studies have found that under the action of macrolides, there are fewer interleukins in our lungs, which tighten up immune cells.
It would seem that this is bad, because the fewer immune cells, the worse the immune system works. But we have already agreed that pneumonia is the impregnation of the lungs with pus. Well, pus is precisely the very immune cells that bite into the infection and flooded everything around with caustic liquid.
If we are talking about a splinter on a finger, then the pus will push the splinter out, and we may not even notice it. But the lungs are getting worse. We breathe with our lungs, and if the immunity is too much at war with the infection, then we will literally choke with this pus. In older people with all sorts of chronic sores, even a slight darkening in the lungs can be accompanied by shortness of breath and lead to blood poisoning.
And now it turned out that azithromycin, together with other antibiotics from the macrolide group, not only stifle microbes, but also slightly suppress an overly aggressive immunity. The benefit is twofold, and for some reason older people with severe pneumonia die less often.
All this has long been known, but last year the Japanese scientists I respect decided to adapt azithromycin to fight the flu. This is strange, because azithromycin only chokes bacteria and has no effect on viruses. But the Japanese are very boldly experimenting in medicine and dug up the idea somewhere that azithromycin will help.
The flu was rampant in Japan, and the doctors there wanted a new remedy. Then the Japanese came up with the well-known favipiravir for 12 thousand. But they realized in time that it was somehow toxic.
Then the Japanese scientists decided to crush the flu with azithromycin. They tested this case in a test tube, and also poked the virus into the noses of laboratory mice.
The results were encouraging, and the Japanese said that on occasion it would be necessary to check it all on people.
And this year the case presented itself. A pandemic erupted, and scientists around the world rushed to poison the virus with various drugs. They again remembered about azithromycin and also put it into action. Only nothing happened. People died with and without azithromycin. Did not help.
Rather, we know that, which did not help. Others may not know. Therefore, the remnants of azithromycin were swept out of the pharmacies. There was a lot of it. Azithromycin is the most popular antibiotic worldwide. But they dared him anyway. Only against the coronavirus, he was powerless.
The bad news is that azithromycin is not candy. It works on the heart in such a way that it increases the risk of fatal heart rhythm disturbances. Therefore, it would be very foolish to swallow it without consulting a doctor.
There is a whole list of medications that make the heart vulnerable. Azithromycin takes not the first and not the last place in it. You can unknowingly accidentally mix yourself a dangerous combination of several of these drugs.
Please do not stock up on antibiotics for future use! It ends badly.
