macrolide-Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

This combination therapy regimen was evaluated by the Research Center of Chemical Injuries at Baqiyatallah Medical Sciences University for the treatment of patients with moderate to severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly those who are current or former smokers and non-responsive to standard therapy. The regimen integrates several classes of drugs: the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin (250 mg every other day), which provides immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects; theophylline (100 mg twice daily), a methylxanthine that acts as a bronchodilator and may reverse corticosteroid resistance by activating histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2); and N-acetylcysteine (1200 mg daily), a mucolytic and antioxidant. These are administered alongside a standard-of-care inhaled regimen consisting of the corticosteroid beclomethasone (1500 mcg/day), the long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) salmeterol, and the muscarinic antagonist ipratropium bromide. A Phase 4 study demonstrated that approximately 27% of patients achieved a significant improvement in lung function (defined as a 15% increase in FEV1) after an average of 6.7 months of treatment.

Other names

azithromycin + theophylline + N-acetylcysteine + beclomethasone + salmeterol + ipratropium bromideMacrolide, Theophylline, and Inhaled Corticosteroids in COPDCombination of Approved Drug in COPDMacrolid, Theophylline, Inhaler Corticosteroids