Expectorants are the drugs used for cough.
Cough is a protective reflex, its purpose being expulsion of respiratory secretions or foreign party cles from air passages.
Expectorants (Mucokinetics)
- Bronchial secretion enhancers :- Sodium or Potassium citrate, Potassium iodide, Guaiphenesin (Glyceryl guaiacolate), balsam of Tolu, Vasaka, Ammonium chloride.
- Mucolytics: Bromhexine, Ambroxol, Acetyl cysteine, Carbocisteine
DEMULCENTS AND EXPECTORANTS
Pharyngeal demulcents sooth the throat and reduce afferent impulses from the inflamed/ irritated pharyngeal mucosa, thus provide symptomatic relief in dry cough arising from throat.
Expectorants (Mucokinetic) are drugs believed to increase bronchial secretion or reduce its viscosity, facilitating its removal by coughing.
Drugs in Detail
Mucolytics :-
Bromhexine – A derivative of the alkaloid vasicine obtained from Adhatoda vasica (Vasaka), is a potent mucolytic and mucokinetic, capable of inducing thin copious bronchial secretion.
It depolymerized mucopolysaccharides directly as well as by liberating lysosomal enzymes-network of fibres in tenacious sputum is broken.
Side effects are rhinorrhoea and lacrimation, nausea, gastric irritation, hypersensitivity.
Ambroxol – A metabolite of bromhexine having similar mucolytic action, uses and side effects.
Acetylcysteine – decrease the viscoelastic properties of mucus by reducing disulphide bond in contrast expectorants change mucus consistency and make coughing more productive, mucokinetics improve transportability, and mucoregulators suppress mucus secretion.
Carbocisteine – It is a type of medicine called a mucolytic. A mucolytic helps you cough up phlegm (also called mucus or sputum). It works by making your phlegm less thick and sticky. This can help if you have a condition that affects your lungs, including: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Bronchial secretions enhancers :-
An expectorant increases bronchial secretions and mucolytics help loosenthick bronchial secretions. increasing mucus flow that can be molecules.
Expectorants reduce the thickness or viscosity of bronchial secretions thus removed more easily through coughing. Mucolytics break down the chemical structure of mucus.
Potassium iodide – It is used to loosen and break up mucus in the airways.
This helps you cough up the mucus so you can breathe more easily if you have long-term lung problems (e.g., asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema). This medication is known as an expectorant.
Guaifenesin, sold under the brand name MUCINEX among others, is a medication used to try to help cough out phlegm from the airways. It is unclear if it decreases coughing. Use is not recommended in children less than 6 years old. It is often used in combination with other medications. It is taken by mouth.
Tolu balsam
It is a sap-like substance that comes from the Myroxylon balsamum tree. It is used as medicine. People take tolu balsam for cough, bronchitis, swollen airways, and cancer. Tolu balsam is applied directly to the skin to treat bedsores, cracked nipples, cracked lips, and minor skin cuts.
Justicia adhatoda
Ammonium chloride can be used as an expectorant due to its irritative action on the bronchial mucosa. This effect causes the production of respiratory tract fluid which in order facilitates the effective cough.
