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A Cough medicine or antitussive is a medication given to people to help them stop coughing.The type of cough medication taken depends on the nature of the cough. Dry coughs are treated with cough suppressants (antitussives) that suppress the body's urge to cough.
Productive coughs (coughs associated with phlegm) are treated with expectorants, drugs designed to loosen and help the body expel mucus from the respiratory tract.
1 Cough suppressants
Cough suppressants can act centrally (on the brain) or locally (on the respiratory tract) to suppress the cough reflex.
Centrally acting suppressants include DXM (dextromethorphan), noscapine , ethyl morphine, and codeine.
Peripherally acting substances include local anaesthetics that reduce sensation of the nerves of the throat, and demulcents that coat the back of the throat.
One might think that it is unwise to suppress the cough reflex, and with that the possibility of expelling mucus from the respiratory tract. However, severe coughing can actually lead to lung irritation, which starts a vicious circle. Above that, the cough reflex is very strong and will not be completely suppressed.
2 Expectorants
An Expectorant is a medicine or herb which increases the expulsion of tracheal or bronchial mucus through expectoration or coughing.
2.1 Herbal expectorants
Aniseed (Pimpinella anisum),
Balm of Gilead (Populus gileadensis),
Balsam of Peru (Myroxylon perierae),
Balsam of Tolu (Myroxylon toluifera),
Blood Root (Sanguinaria canadensis),
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara),
ComfreySymphytum Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Lamiales Family: Boraginaceae Genus Symphytum Species Symphytum asperum Lepechin Symphytum officinale L. Symphytum tuberosum L. Symphytum x uplandicum (Symphytum officinale),
Elder Flower (Sambucus nigra),
Elecampane (Inula helenium),
GarlicGarlic Allium sativum is a bulbous perennial food plant of the family Alliaceae. The word comes to us from Old English grleac meaning "spear leek". Because of its wide cultivation, its origins are uncertain; it has been traced to both southwest Siberia an (Allium sativum),
Golden Seal (Hydrastis canadensis),
Grindelia (Grindelia camporum),
HyssopHyssop Hyssopus officinalis Lamiaceae The genus Hyssopus consists of this one species. The name hyssop can be traced back almost unchanged through the Greek hyssopos and Hebrew esob although it is doubtful that Hyssopus officinalis is the same hyssop that (Hyssopus officinalis),
Iceland Moss (Cetraria islandica),
Irish Moss (Chondrus crispus),
LiquoriceGlycyrrhiza acanthocarpa ''Glycyrrhiza aspera Glycyrrhiza astragalina ''Glycyrrhiza bucharica ''Glycyrrhiza echinata ''Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa ''Glycyrrhiza foetida Glycyrrhiza glabra ''Glycyrrhiza iconica ''Glycyrrhiza korshinskyi ''Glycyrrhiza lepidota '' (Glycyrrhiza glabra),
LobeliaLobelia : Plantae Division Magnoliophyta Magnoliopsida Asterales Lobeliaceae Lobelia see text Lobelia is a genus in the lobeliaceae family, comprising some 200 species, some of which are cultivated in gardens. These include Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Fl (Lobelia inflata),
LungwortThe lungworts are the genus Pulmonaria of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae Plants. (Sticta pulmonaria),
MarshmallowA marshmallow is a type of confection that, in its modern form, consists of sugar or corn syrup, beaten egg whites, gelatin that has been pre-softened in water, gum arabic and flavorings, whipped to a spongy consistency. The traditional recipe used an ext (Althaea officinalis),
Mouse Ear (Hieracium pilosella),
MulleinMullein Verbascum sinuatum Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Scrophulariales Family: Scrophulariaceae Genus Verbascum Species V. sinuatum wavyleaf mullein V. thapsus common mullein :more. The mu (Verbascum thapsus),
Pleurisy Root (Asclepias tuberosa),
Senega (Polygala senega),
Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus),
Squill (Urginea maritima),
Thuja (Thuja occidentalis),
Thyme (Thymus vulgaris),
Vervain (Verbena officinalis),
White Horehound (Marrubium vulgare),
Wild Cherry (Prunus serotona).
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