Abstract

Locabiotal Pressurised Aerosol or L.P. Aerosol (Selpharm) is a French preparation of a fungus extract, fusafungine, dispensed under pressure in a nebuliser. It contains 0.25% fusafungine dissolved in isopropyl myristate - fusafungine is insoluble in water - and a mixture of about ten perfume oils. The makers recommend it for all infections and inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract. They claim that ‘most Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogens in the respiratory tract are sensitive’, that Locabiotal has ‘anti-inflammatory activity equivalent to prednisone’ and that it is a ‘powerful antibiotic with built-in anti-inflammatory action.’ The preparation has been heavily advertised, and the basic NHS cost of each prescription is 18/-.