Diosmin – Still an Important Modality in the Treatment of Venous Insufficiency
Chronic venous insufficiency is a highly prevalent disease in the Western population. Unfortunately, it remains without causal treatment. In the recommended therapeutic procedures, especially in the initial stages, compression treatment supplemented with pharmacotherapy plays a key role. This includes the administration of medicinal products containing micronized diosmin. The following text summarizes basic findings about its properties that predispose it to clinical use.
Introduction
Diosmin, due to its beneficial effects on the venous wall, is part of many medicinal products that have been used in Europe for more than 40 years. Naturally, it finds its application in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency.
By chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), we mean impaired venous return from the lower limbs, most often as a result of deep vein thrombosis. Its treatment is long-term and requires comprehensive care from an angiologist/phlebologist, dermatologist, and surgeon, clearly depending on the degree of impairment.
The basis of conservative treatment for CVI includes compression bandages, elastic stockings, or intermittent pneumatic compression, which reduce the passage of fluids through the vein walls into the extravascular space, thereby intensifying the flow through the deep vein system. This physical treatment of CVI is complemented by venopharmaceuticals, mostly plant extracts that strengthen the tension of the venous wall, support the lymphatic outflow from the limbs, reduce fluid transition into the extravascular spaces (antiexudative effect), and reduce inflammation (antiphlogistic effect). Utilized medicinal substances include troxerutin, rutoside, diosmin, tribenoside, and escin (syn. aescin or escin alpha – a mix of monodesmosides, approximately 30 various substances) extracted from the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), and others in the form of dietary supplements.
Received by the editorial office on 26. 7. 2019
MUDr. Jiří Slíva, Ph.D.
Institute of Pharmacology, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague
Authors: Jiří Slíva
Author's affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague
Published in the journal: Vnitř Lék 2019; 65(7-8): 524-526
Category: News
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