Efficacy and Safety of Quercetin and Polyvinylpyrrolidone in Treatment of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Destructive Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Comparison with Standard Antimycobacterial Therapy

Abstract The aim of this work was to study the efficacy and safety of quercetin and polyvinylpyrrolidone (QP) in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed destructive pulmonary tuberculosis in comparison with standard antimycobacterial therapy. The study involved 124 patients aged between 20 years and 70 years with newly diagnosed destructive pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients were allocated to two groups. The first (control) group of patients received standard antimycobacterial and pathogenetic therapy and included 31 (25.00 ± 3.89%) patients. The second (main) group of patients received QP therapy in addition to chemotherapy and included 93 (75.00 ± 3.89%) patients. Administration of QP combined with chemotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed destructive pulmonary tuberculosis resulted in a comparatively quick reduction of disease manifestation. Specifically, intoxication symptoms in the second group were reduced following 1.33 ± 0.15 months, whereas in the first group intoxication symptoms were reduced following 2.64 ± 0.20 months, p < .001. Moreover, respiratory symptom regression in the second group was observed following 1.43 ± 0.30 months, whereas in the first group respiratory symptom regression was observed following 2.33 ± 0.30 months, p < .05. Bacillary excretion period evaluated within 3 months was reduced by 97.67 ± 1.63% in the main group compared with 72.41 ± 8.45%, p < .05, in the control group. In addition, the period of cavity healing was reduced to 2.86 ± 0.15 months in the main group compared with 3.43 ± 0.20 months, p < .05, in the control group. Residual radiological lung damage findings (mild, slight, or even no signs) were observed in 84 (90.32 ± 3.07%) patients of the main group versus 22 (70.97 ± 8.15%) patients in the control group. Significant residual radiological lung damage findings were observed in nine (9.68 ± 3.07%) patients of the main group and in nine (29.03 ± 8.15%) patients of the control group, p < .05. In addition, QP provides an antituberculosis drug tolerance increase by 20.42% and has immunomodulatory effects.