Benzidamine hydrochloride is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, an indazole derivative, without a carboxyl group. The absence of a carboxyl group imparts the following features: Benzidamine is a weak base (whereas most NSAIDs are weak acids), has a high lipophilicity, a pH gradient well penetrates the inflammation site (where the pH is lower) and accumulates in therapeutic concentrations.
Has anti-inflammatory and local anesthetic effect, antiseptic (against a wide range of microorganisms), as well as antifungal action.
Anti-inflammatory effect of the drug is due to a decrease in the permeability of capillaries, the stabilization of cell membranes due to inhibition of synthesis and inactivation of prostaglandins, histamine,bradykinin, cytokines, complement factors and other nonspecific endogenous "damaging" factors. Benzidamine suppresses the production of proinflammatory cytokines, especially tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), to a lesser extent interleukin-1β (IL-1β). The main feature of benzidamine is that, being a weak inhibitor of the synthesis of prostaglandins, it demonstrates a powerful inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines. For this reason benzydamine can be classified as a cytokine-suppressing anti-inflammatory drug.
The local anesthetic effect of benzidine is related to the structural features of its molecule, similar to local anesthetics. The analgesic effect is due to an indirect decrease in the concentration of biogenic amines possessing algogenic properties and an increase in the pain sensitivity threshold of the receptor apparatus; benzydamine also blocks the interaction of bradykinin with tissue receptors, restores microcirculation and reduces pain sensitivity in the focus of inflammation.
Benzydamine has an antibacterial effect due to rapid penetration through the membranes of microorganisms followed bydamage to cellular structures, metabolic disorders and cell lysosomes.
Has an antifungal effect against 20 strains Candida albicans and non-albicans strains, causing structural modifications of the cell wall of fungi and their metabolic chains, thus inhibiting their reproduction.