Previously, cough syrup was one of the most popular medicines, which were prepared in specialized departments of pharmacies on order according to a prescription prescribed by a doctor. By the end of the twentieth century, dry cough medicines were practically supplanted by syrups and other pharmaceutical preparations. And only in recent decades, potions have returned to pharmacy shelves, slightly modifying their form.
Benefits of the potion
Why could not the medicine replace other types of drugs? What are its benefits and how do they help cope with dry, unproductive coughs? Let's start with the definition of the concept itself. The name "mixture" is of Latin origin and the root "mix", which means mixture. That is, it is a drug that is a combination of several different ingredients.
This mixture may include:
- medicines;
- decoctions or herbal infusions;
- alcohol tinctures;
- antiseptic agents;
- anti-inflammatory components.
They can be completely dissolved or suspended. Therefore, the mixture itself is not always transparent, precipitation is allowed in it.
The medicine has a great advantage over the commonly used cough syrups due to the fact that in already dissolved form its components are absorbed by the body much faster, which means that it works faster than, for example, tablets. The basis of this preparation is distilled water, in which the ingredients mixed in accordance with the recipes are then dissolved.
Dry
Unfortunately, medicines are not prepared in pharmacies now. But in recent decades, powder bases have appeared on the shelves for self-preparation of potions at home. Most often these are hermetically sealed disposable sachets. These funds are used in accordance with the instructions on the package. There are several such drugs, but they are all analogous to those described below.
"Dry cough mixture." Yes, yes, this drug, produced by Russian manufacturers, is called that. It is a mixture of lyophilized extracts of licorice root and marshmallow, anise essential oil and auxiliary components. In fact, this potion is a traditional recipe used by pharmacists since the 18th century.
It has practically no contraindications (except for individual intolerance) and can be used from a very early age. Has an excellent anti-inflammatory, expectorant, calming effect. Helps relieve sore throat and irritation, relieve coughing fits. Attention! This potion contains sugar to enhance the taste!
Potions have many names, since they are produced by various manufacturers, and release forms: sachets or freeze-dried mixture in a hermetically sealed container. There are powders intended for adults and separately for children. They practically do not differ in composition, the difference is only in the dosage, which is determined by the concentration of the solution.
Important! The cough mixture is diluted only with clean filtered or boiled water! No juice or milk!
Milk creates a thin fatty film on the throat, through which it is difficult for other components of the drug mixture to penetrate. Juices, especially citrus fruits, are rich in vitamin C, which can enhance the effect of the medicine. And if an adult practically does not notice this, then the child may develop an allergic reaction.
Citral potion
Exclusively on the basis of a doctor's prescription, another drug, already completely ready for use, is sold in pharmacies - "Mixture with Citral". It can be applied to adults and children. This is a fairly strong remedy, the main active ingredient in which is citral. It is present in many medicinal plants: lemon balm, eucalyptus, lemon and other citrus fruits. Has antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, gives a mild sedative effect, slightly lowers blood pressure.
Other components of this potion are:
- magnesium - antihypertensive, sedative, vasodilator;
- motherwort extract - soothing, antispasmodic, analgesic;
- diphenhydramine is a strong antihistamine with a sedative effect;
- sodium bromide - soothing, relieves agitation and spasms;
- glucose or fructose are simple sugars to improve the taste of the medicine.
The same distilled water acts as a solvent. But the mixture contains insoluble components that are in suspension. Therefore, it must be shaken vigorously before use.
This mixture can even be used to treat young children, provided that there is no individual intolerance to one of the components. But even a minimal overdose can lead to a number of side effects, including: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, lethargy, allergic rhinitis.
Homemade recipes
Safer, but often no less effective, are cough mixtures prepared at home according to time-tested folk recipes. Here are some of the simplest and most effective ones:
Anise. Anise seeds are rich in essential oils with strong expectorant properties. Thyme is a great natural antiseptic that can relieve inflammation and pain. Strengthens the healing effect and licorice root, which has long been used for coughs. To prepare the mixture, you need to take one teaspoon of each of these plants (grate the licorice root or grind it well) and pour two glasses of clean filtered water. Bring to a boil over low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. When the broth has cooled, strain it through a cheesecloth folded in several layers and pour it back into a saucepan. Add half a glass of sugar and continue cooking until the syrup thickens. Take a teaspoon 3 times a day.- Honey-raspberry. Great for dry coughs caused by colds or acute respiratory infections. Pour a glass of crushed dry raspberry leaves with a glass of water in a thermos and leave for half an hour, then pour into a bowl and evaporate in a water bath until the water is halfway out. Refrigerate and drain. Add 100 grams of honey and freshly squeezed juice from a whole lemon to the broth. Take a tablespoon 3-4 times a day.
- Ginger-mint with valerian. Not only is it an excellent antitussive agent with an excellent anti-inflammatory effect, but also an excellent soothing agent. To prepare it, you need 3-4 cm of fresh ginger root, two tablespoons of dry or fresh mint leaves, valerian root. Peel the ginger root and grate, pour a glass of water and add mint. Simmer for 10 minutes over low heat. Separately pour boiling water in a thermos valerian root and let it brew for at least 2-3 hours, or better all night. Strain both mixtures and combine. The potion is ready to use. Add honey if desired.
Honey-garlic vodka has excellent antiseptic properties. Helps with ARVI, acute respiratory infections, colds and some infectious diseases. Relieves painful chronic cough. It can be applied up to 3 weeks. Finely chop 10-15 large cloves of garlic and grind in a mortar, squeeze out the juice and strain. Mix with an equal amount of honey, and then add as much vodka as the mixture turns out.Mix well, take a teaspoon 3-4 times a day. Of course, this medicine is only suitable for adults.- Aloe juice with honey is also an excellent natural mixture that has such powerful healing properties that it helps to get rid of even neglected bronchitis. It is not used for open tuberculosis, pulmonary hemorrhage and the presence of any neoplasms. It is very simple to prepare it. Peel a few large leaves of a 3-year-old aloe tree from the tough skin. Grind the pulp to a jelly-like state and squeeze the juice through cheesecloth. Then add the same amount of liquid honey to it. Take up to 5 teaspoons daily.
Anise. Anise seeds are rich in essential oils with strong expectorant properties. Thyme is a great natural antiseptic that can relieve inflammation and pain. Strengthens the healing effect and licorice root, which has long been used for coughs. To prepare the mixture, you need to take one teaspoon of each of these plants (grate the licorice root or grind it well) and pour two glasses of clean filtered water. Bring to a boil over low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. When the broth has cooled, strain it through a cheesecloth folded in several layers and pour it back into a saucepan. Add half a glass of sugar and continue cooking until the syrup thickens. Take a teaspoon 3 times a day.If you wish, you can easily find other recipes for folk cough mixtures on the Internet.
Before using them, we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor and make sure that the disease is not infectious. Otherwise, the disease may develop and the use of strong medications will already be required.
Storage and use rules
As you can see, preparing a mixture for a strong dry cough at home is a rather laborious process. And repeating it before each use is simply unrealistic. Therefore, home medicine is prepared for several days of use. But at the same time, the conditions for its storage and use must be observed:
You can store the medicine at home only in a tightly closed glass container to avoid contact with air and the ingress of dust and bacteria.- The storage temperature should be in the range of 4-10 degrees, which means that you need to put the bottle in the refrigerator.
- But you can use the mixture at its temperature not lower than room temperature. Therefore, a single dose should be poured into a separate bowl shortly before taking it and given time to warm up.
- It is impossible to heat the finished mixture in a microwave oven or heat it in other ways - it will partially lose its properties.
- It is better to drink the drug half an hour before or half an hour after a meal and it is advisable not to drink it with water, so as not to reduce the concentration of active active ingredients.
- For home remedies, the maximum single adult dose is 1 tbsp. spoon, for a child over 7 years old - a teaspoon, for babies - according to age and weight.
- The maximum shelf life for homemade mixtures is 10 days. This is the maximum duration of the course of treatment, after which it is necessary to take a break, and then, if necessary, it can be repeated.
You can store the medicine at home only in a tightly closed glass container to avoid contact with air and the ingress of dust and bacteria.It is also important to remember that it is impossible to cure a serious broncho-pulmonary disease only with the help of a cough medicine. It is an adjunct drug that only relieves symptomatic cough without addressing the underlying cause.
Therefore, if you started using the medicine at the initial stage of acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections, but the situation continues to deteriorate, you must definitely consult a doctor for advice and adjustments to treatment.
