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Acute respiratory infections, bronchitis and other diseases of the respiratory system that provoke coughing require the use of various drugs, both synthetic and herbal, for a speedy recovery.
Among the patients of otolaryngologists, there are often people who by any means try to limit the use of artificial pharmaceuticals, giving preference to natural remedies. It is known that medicines prepared using the knowledge of traditional medicine have a fairly strong effect, but you should not be mistaken about their safety for the body. Just like synthetic medicines, they have their own side effects and various contraindications.
Medicinal plants, in whatever ecologically clean area they grow, have a very complex composition. Therefore, among the components of decoctions, tinctures and homeopathic preparations prepared from these plants, harmful or even toxic substances (roughly speaking, poisons) can be found. Given the prevalence of a variety of allergic reactions among the modern population, even the most expensive and safe drugs can be rejected by the body and provoke a worsening of symptoms.
Classification of drugs that relieve cough and promote rapid recovery
Various medicines, divided into three types, help relieve coughing:
Antitussive and combined medicines – are taken with a dry cough without secretions, which can disrupt normal appetite and sleep.
Expectorants for bronchitis – stimulate the separation of mucus with a wet cough, if the sputum does not have viscosity and density.
Of these, two more subtypes are additionally distinguished:
Reflex action – drugs of this subtype, getting on the gastric mucosa, activate the gag reflex. At the same time, vomiting does not occur, but the peristalsis of the bronchial muscles improves, and the amount of mucus produced in the bronchi increases. In response to this, the work of epithelial cells is also accelerated, transporting sputum from small bronchioles to the large and the trachea itself. Improving the process of expectoration and sputum production is achieved due to the result of the reaction of the gastric mucosa to irritation. Such properties are mainly possessed by pharmaceutical preparations of plant origin: marshmallow, thyme, mother and stepmother, plantain, thermopsis, wild rosemary, etc.;
Direct resorptive action – substances from this group, when absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, irritate the bronchial mucosa, thereby increasing the volume of secreted fluid that forms sputum. With an increase in the proportional proportion of water in the mucus, its density decreases, which is the reason for the stimulation of expectoration.
Mucolytic – necessary to facilitate the separation of too viscous and thick sputum.
Means for liquefying sputum can be:
Influencing such indicators as the viscosity and elasticity of mucus in the bronchi;
Stimulating the excretion of sputum;
Inhibiting and limiting the formation of bronchial mucus.
Expectorants for cough reflex action
Preparations from Altea
They are taken according to such indications: tracheal and obstructive bronchitis, pulmonary emphysema, the presence of hard-to-separate high-viscosity sputum.
Althea officinalis drugs work by accelerating bronchial peristalsis, they are also able to thin mucous secretions and slow down inflammatory processes.
It is forbidden to take preparations with marshmallow for children under three years of age and in the presence of hypersensitivity to any of the components of the remedy, as well as peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum. With diabetes and fructose intolerance, marshmallow syrup should be taken with caution. During pregnancy – only on prescription.
Among the side effects of Althea, allergic reactions are most common, less often – nausea and vomiting.
Mukaltin. Tablets of 50 mg. Children dissolve 1 tablet in a third of a glass of water, adults take 1-2 tablets 3-4 times a day before meals for two weeks.
Althea roots. Crushed raw materials for the preparation of infusion. Infusion recipe: 1 tbsp. l. Boil marshmallow roots in a water bath in 300 ml of water, then set aside to cool naturally to room temperature, strain, squeeze and boiled water up to 0,2 l with two hundred boiled water. Take the remedy for 2-3 weeks from 3 to 4 times a day , children from three to five years old – 1 tsp each, from 6 to 14 years old – 1-2 tbsp. l., adults – 100 ml.
Alteyka syrup. It is taken after meals, children under 12 need 4 doses per day, 1 tsp each, adults – 1 tbsp. l. The required course of therapy is 2 weeks, which can be extended according to indications.
The drug is thermopsis
An infusion of the herbaceous plant Thermopsis has expectorant properties, but its use should be strictly limited. Even a small overdose of drugs from thermopsis in children provokes vomiting, and the alkaloid cytisine can briefly accelerate and then greatly slow down breathing, which can frighten the child.
Thermopsol. It is taken three times a day, one tablet in a small course of three to five days. Contraindicated in hypersensitivity and peptic ulcer disease.
Codelak Broncho without codeine. Contains thermopsis extract, sodium glycyrrhizinate, baking soda and ambroxol. The combined medicine is an expectorant mucolytic with moderate anti-inflammatory properties. Sodium glycyrrhizinate is an antiviral and anti-inflammatory component, ambroxol is a mucolytic ingredient, thermopsis and baking soda form an expectorant reaction, irritating the gastric mucosa.
Take one tablet three times a day for no more than five days in a row. Indicated to facilitate sputum production in various types of bronchitis, pneumonia, COPD and bronchiectasis. Contraindicated in pregnant and lactating mothers, people with hypersensitivity to individual components, children under 12 years of age.
Possible side effects: nausea and vomiting in case of overdose, headaches and weakness, constipation or diarrhea, dysuria and exanthema.
Breast fees
The composition of antitussive herbal breast preparations:
No. 1: oregano with coltsfoot;
No. 2: coltsfoot, plantain and licorice;
No. 3: pine buds, marshmallow, sage and anise;
No. 4: chamomile, wild rosemary, calendula, licorice and violet.
Expectorant collection. A mixture of elecampane roots, chamomile flowers, young shoots of wild rosemary, peppermint leaves, coltsfoot leaves, marigold flowers, licorice root and psyllium leaves.
Bronchophyte. Elixir of Ukrainian production. Contains anise, violet, plantain, wild rosemary, sage, thyme and licorice. Boil a tablespoon of the collection for a quarter of an hour in a water bath in 0,2 liters of water. Bring the strained broth to the original volume with boiled water. Within two weeks, drink 50 g of the drug 4 times a day before meals. Possible side effects such as heartburn, diarrhea, nausea, and various allergic reactions.
Plantain leaf, mother and stepmother, wild rosemary and other herbal preparations
Plantain leaf – has an anti-inflammatory effect, normalizes the function of the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi, mucolytic effect;
Herbion with plantain;
Young shoots of wild rosemary – anti-inflammatory and expectorant action;
Leaves coltsfoot – antispasmodic, wound healing, expectorant and antimicrobial action;
Plantain syrup and coltsfoot
Stoptussin phyto syrup – a preparation based on plant materials, contains an extract of plantain, thyme and thyme, has antimicrobial properties, facilitates expectoration;
Coldrex broncho – a preparation based on guaifenesin, contains anise oil, red pepper tincture, levomenthol, camphor, macrogol;
Thyme (thyme extract)
Thyme grass – has antimicrobial properties and analgesic effect, contraindications are the same as for drugs based on plantain;
Bronchicum, Tussamag, Pertussin – preparations based on thyme herb, used to facilitate expectoration, have a mucolytic effect. (Read also: Useful properties and use of thyme herb)
Gelomyrtol
Gelomirtol is a medicinal product based on plant materials, used for difficult sputum separation in the treatment of chronic bronchitis.
Cough expectorants of direct resorptive action
The composition of this type of medicines usually includes components that stimulate the release of fluid into the mucus: ammonia (ammonium chloride), baking soda, sodium and potassium iodine salts, as well as herbal analogues: anise essential oil, herbs oregano (oregano), wild rosemary and others .
Amtersol – promotes enhanced sputum secretion, has an expectorant effect, like herbal preparations of anise, wild rosemary and oregano, contains ammonium chloride, potassium iodide, sodium bicarbonate.
Mucolytic cough suppressants for bronchitis
Preparations from this category are able to reduce the viscosity of mucus in order to facilitate the removal of a medium suitable for the reproduction of pathogens from the bronchi.
Carbocisteine
Mucolytic drugs that promote expectoration and separation of bronchial secretions include the following drugs:
Libeksin Muco;
Bronchobos;
Fluifort;
Fluditec.
Acetylcysteine
It has mucus-thinning properties, facilitates expectoration and excretion of excess sputum, which creates a beneficial environment for the vital activity of pathogenic bacteria. Preparations based on acetylcysteine are used for inflammation of the middle ear, laryngitis, bronchitis (including chronic), pneumonia. Medicines based on this active ingredient:
ACC;
Vicks asset;
Fluimucil.
The therapeutic effect of these drugs improves with an increase in the daily intake of water.
Bromhexine
A substance with mucolytic properties, has an antitussive effect and facilitates the release of sputum, the results of treatment appear on the 2nd-5th day from the start of the intake. Medications:
Bromhexine;
Bronchosan;
Solvin.
Combined preparations Joset, Ascoril, Kashnol
Drugs based on bromhexine, salbutamol and guaifenesin are used only on prescription. Used to treat chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia, tuberculosis. Names of medicines:
Josette syrup;
Cashnol syrup;
Ascoril.
Ambroxol
A drug with a mucolytic effect, used in the treatment of chronic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, pneumonia and other diseases of the respiratory system, in which sputum is difficult to separate and its viscosity increases. Analogues:
Lazolvan;
Ambrobene;
Ambrohexal;
Ambrose;
Flavamed;
Halixol.