Expectorants

Expectorants

Medicines that help relieve sputum when coughing. As expectorants, mainly drugs that enhance the activity of the glands of the bronchial mucosa are used. They reduce the viscosity of sputum, that is, they dilute it, making it easier to separate sputum when coughing.

There are direct and indirect expectorants.

Direct-acting drugs cause this effect by acting directly on the bronchial mucosa. This group includes: sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), which helps reduce the viscosity of sputum due to its alkaline properties, terpin hydrate, as well as some essential oils (for example, anise, etc.), which are secreted after their intake by the glands of the bronchial mucosa and at the same time contribute to separation of sputum. The expectorant effect of these drugs is manifested when used in the form of inhalation (inhalation with water vapor) and when taken orally.

Expectorants of indirect action, when taken orally, stimulate the activity of the glands of the bronchial mucosa reflexively, that is, due to irritation of the endings of the sensory nerves of the stomach. These include preparations from some medicinal plants (for example, infusion of thermopsis herb, dry thermopsis extract, etc.), as well as some substances isolated from plants in their pure form.

These drugs are only effective when taken orally. When taken in large doses, they can cause nausea and vomiting. Children are especially sensitive to the emetic effects of these drugs. Therefore, expectorants of this group cannot be used to treat children, especially infants and preschool children. For children, they use, for example, ammonia-anise drops, terpin hydrate and other drugs that contain expectorants that do not have a pronounced emetic effect.

Expectorants are used mainly for lung diseases (pneumonia, bronchitis, etc.), which are accompanied by a cough with very viscous sputum that is difficult to separate. In cases where the cause of cough is other diseases, for example cough due to circulatory disorders of the lungs, expectorants are ineffective or completely useless.

In such cases, relief can be brought by treatment with other medications, the action of which eliminates the causes of cough. Therefore, you should take expectorants only as prescribed by your doctor.

It is also necessary to keep in mind that the use of expectorants as self-medication can lead to complications. For example, many direct-acting expectorants can contribute to the exacerbation of a number of chronic lung diseases (for example, tuberculosis), and indirect-acting expectorants, if the dosage prescribed by the doctor is exceeded, can cause nausea and vomiting.

Finally, it should be remembered that expectorants prescribed for adults should never be used to treat children.

In the modern world, people are faced with a large number of different diseases, such as colds, flu, bronchitis and other lung diseases. Treatment for these illnesses often involves taking medications that have a cough-clearing effect (expectorants).

An expectorant is a drug that helps thin mucus in the bronchi so that it is easier to cough up. The expectorant effect can be achieved using various approaches, such as changing the pH of the environment, increasing the production of mucus in the respiratory tract, stimulating bronchial contraction and reducing the surface tension of the mucous membranes.

One example of an expectorant is ambroxol, which acts to quickly evacuate mucus from the respiratory tract, thereby relieving the symptoms of inflammation. This remedy can be used both for the treatment of various lung diseases and for the prevention of acute respiratory viral infections.

Another important aspect of expectorant therapy is the use of herbal remedies, which consist of natural ingredients: calendula flowers, chamomile, plantain leaves, thyme grass, etc. One of these remedies is bronchophyte, developed on the basis of organic components of plant origin and has no side effects . It is very effective and safe for use in adults and children, and has many additional therapeutic effects. Monitoring respiratory hygiene is also an important component of expectoration therapy. Mucus or phlegm from the upper respiratory tract should not be allowed to enter the lower bronchi or lungs. To do this, it is recommended to regularly clean your nose and use humidifiers at home and in your work space.