Dao VA, et al. - In this prospective, controlled clinical study, authors investigated 90 individuals to examine comparatively, the lozenges containing ectoine (a natural extremolyte) vs hyaluronic acid lozenges and hypertonic saline gargle for symptomatic treatment of acute viral pharyngitis. They noticed a decline in sum score for 3 primary symptoms ie, pain on swallowing, urge to cough, and hoarseness by 79.5% (ectoine), 72.2% (hyaluronic acid), and 44.8% (saline gargle). They found ectoine significantly better than both hyaluronic acid and saline gargle in terms of tolerability and patient compliance. Many candidates reported unpleasant sensations using hyaluronic acid lozenges and saline gargle.