Cold and Cough

TREATMENT OF COLD AND COUGH

Drugs for treatment of cough can be divided into following three groups.

1.       Cough suppressant

2.       Expectorant

3.       Mucolytic

1. Antitussive: Cough suppressants are used to suppress irritant and unproductive cough. It can be further divided into two groups

a)      Centrally acting Antitussive agents

b)      Peripheral acting Antitussive agents

a) Centrally acting Antitussive agents: Ex. Codeine, Pholcodine, Dextromethorphine, Noscapine

Codeine: Codeine is an opioid. It decreases secretion of bronchial that will thicken the sputum and inhibit ciliary’s activity. It also produces constipation.

Pholcodeine: It does not have opioid like action, but it as good Antitussive as codeine.

Dextromethorphan: It acts centrally and elevate threshold of coughing. It is better than codeine because it does not act as opioid, less GIT side effect. In high dose it may depress CNS.

Noscapine: It is naturally occurring opium alkaloid. It is potent Antitussive.

  

b) Peripheral acting Antitussive agents:

Local Anesthetic: They are effective Antitussive and useful for short duration of action.It can be delivered by using nebulizer. Lozenges with local anesthetics are also available. Ex Lignocaine.

Demulcent: Demulcent coats the inflamed surface of pharynx so prevent cough reflex.

2. Expectorant: Expectorant increases secretion of respiratory tract and reduces viscosity of mucus that helps in removal of mucus from respiratory tract.

Ex. Volatile oils like eucalyptus oil, anise oil, Lemon oil etc. Volatile oils are administered with steam into respiratory tract.

Apomorphine Hydrochloride: In normal dose act as expectorant and in higher dose act as emetic.

Iodides liquefy the mucus ex. Potassium iodide.

Other examples are Ammonium chloride, Ammonium bicarbonate, Ipecauana powder, etc.

Most of traditional expectorants act as expectorant due to their emetic and irritant effect.

3. Mucolytic: An agent which break down thick sputum Ex Bromohaxine

NASAL DECONGESTANT

Sympathomimetic amines are generally used as nasal decongestant. They produce vasoconstriction of mucosal blood vessels. This decreases thickness of swollen nasal mucosa nad causes relief to nasal obstruction. But most of the sympathomimetic drugs has rebound activity and may result in chronic rhinitis.

Ex Naphazoline, Phenylephrine, Xylometazoline. These agents are most potent have long duration of action.

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