Antitussive

What are they

Antitussive drugs contain active ingredients that vary depending on the type of disorder. The common cough, that typical symptom of seasonal ailments, is divided into two broad categories: dry and productive.

In the first case the cough occurs without or with little sputum (mucus), in the second case it is accompanied by the emission of sputum in abundant quantities.

Depending on the type of disorder, different self-medication drugs may be used. For this reason, a precise diagnosis is essential. The pharmacist or doctor, in the most serious cases, can direct you to the most suitable remedy for different needs.

Antitussive medicines can be formulated in syrup, tablets, suppositories, granules or drops. They can be divided into the following categories:

Central sedatives

Cough suppressants, also called antitussigens, act by repressing the stimulus to cough and are indicated to calm dry, constipated and in any case non-productive cough.

The urge to cough comes from a specific area of the brain, the so-called cough center, which is activated as a response to stimuli that come from the trachea and bronchi when they are irritated or inflamed.

The central sedatives relieve cough by blocking the activity of this brain center: they should be used only in the absence of phlegm, because otherwise they can even be counterproductive.

The most commonly used antitussigens are dextromethorphan (otc, i.e. purchased without prescription), levodropropizine (otc), cloperastin (otc) and codeine (prescription drug).

Peripheral sedatives

They are drugs that do not act at the level of the brain center of cough, but at the level of the respiratory tree.

In practice, they inhibit some specific receptors located on the respiratory tree: not receiving signals, the brain does not start the cough stimulus. These peripheral sedatives, such as central sedatives, are also indicated only in dry cough.

Mucolytics

Mucolytics act by various mechanisms of action. The most used ones break down the proteins that make up the mucus, thus making it more fluid and facilitating its expulsion by the bronchi and trachea.

Drugs in this category do not immediately calm the cough, as sedatives do. Immediately after intake, on the contrary, there may be an increase in the urge to cough, because the presence of mucus to be eliminated increases. The most commonly used mucolytics are: sobrerole, acetylcysteine, ambroxol, carbocysteine, bromhexine.

Expectorants

Expectorants work by increasing the volume of fluid and secretions within the airways in order to increase the effectiveness of expulsion through coughing.

Most expectorants are of natural origin, such as licorice, thyme and marshmallow. One of the most widely used expectorants is guaifenesin, available in pharmacies without a prescription.