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Thermopsis from dry cough
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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ARVI, influenza, viral angina, bronchitis, pneumonia are all diseases, united by a common, most unpleasant symptom, which we call a cough. And although the cough itself does not harm health, being a natural physiological reaction of the body to irritation of bronchial mucosa, the symptom may be so exhausting that a person already has no strength left to fight the disease. Especially painful is considered an unproductive cough in the beginning of the disease. To suppress it with codeine means does not make sense, because it will cause stagnant phenomena in the bronchi and will promote the propagation of pathogens. Cough can be facilitated only with the help of drugs that help liquefaction and excretion of sputum from the bronchi. There are a lot of such drugs in pharmacies, but most of the trust is caused by years proven means, such as cough thermopsis, which many are familiar with as "Tablets from a cough." But with what is the effectiveness of the preparations of thermopsis connected and from where does the tablet have such a strange name?
Useful information
Under the Soviet Union, we did not have such a choice of drugs as at the present time, and the question of which tablets from a cough better, was not acute. But even in those distant times people somehow struggled with a cough, after all, and influenza, and bronchitis, and many other diseases are known to people for more than a decade. It was simpler and cheaper to get rid of the obtrusive symptom with the help of "Cough Tablets", but few people paid attention to the composition of this budget medicine and knew that grayish round tablets were actually a natural preparation.
The main active substance of "Cough Tablets" is a plant called thermpsys lanceolate. It must be said that in our region this plant with a sharp unattractive smell can not be found. Thermopsis prefers to settle in the eastern and western regions of Siberia, in the southwestern regions of the Urals - regions that are not distinguished by a pleasant warm climate. Attractive for him are also Yakutia, Mongolia, Tibet.
The plant belongs to the family of legumes and is valued for the rich composition of biologically active substances, which have curative effects when coughing, atonic locks, headaches, internal parasites. For medical purposes, only the ground part of the thermopsis is used, which is collected before the appearance of the fruit. The fruits of the plant are considered poisonous, and the grass itself during the fruiting period becomes unsuitable for use as medicinal raw materials.
In the herb of lanceolate thermopsis, six alkaloids are isolated, which provide the plant efficiency for the above problems. As for the treatment with thermopsis of respiratory diseases accompanied by cough, here comes the alkaloid thermopsin, which irritates the bronchial mucosa, stimulating the bronchial glands to produce more mucus. It is due to this that there is an increase in the amount and a decrease in the viscosity of sputum, it is easier to remove it.
And that is not all. Thermopsin together with other alkaloids (cytisine, methylcytisine, pahkarpin, anagirine, terpopsidin) strengthens the respiratory function, causes the bronchi to contract more actively, as if pushing the mucus outward. Thus, cough becomes productive, and expectoration is less painful.
Supplement the effect of thermopsin contained in the grass saponins, resins, tannins and essential oils. The thermopsis is also appreciated for its high content of ascorbic acid.
Indications of the thermopsis from coughing
Forms of release in the form of tablets are used in the therapy of inflammatory diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract, if one of the symptoms of the disease is a dry or unproductive moist cough, i.e. In all cases of difficulty expectoration. If there is no cough or sputum in sufficient quantities without the use of additional measures, there is no need to take medication.
Bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia are pathologies in which cough is almost the main symptom. Moreover, problems with the excretion of sputum from the bronchi are present in most cases. And this is just the field of activity for tablets of thermopsis with soda.
In a large dosage can be used for poisoning, which will help induce vomiting, which helps purify the stomach. But here too it is not necessary to overdo it, even though the remedy is generally safe and in addition to the vegetable base and soda contains only talcum and potato starch, which make it possible to give the formulation a tablet form.
Preparations based on thermopsis in tablets
We have already mentioned that on the shelves of modern pharmacies you can find not only familiar "Cough Tablets" or thermopsis with soda, where the expectorant is one of the two main active ingredients, but also tablets with the names "Termopsol" or "Antitusin", which are full analogues of the "sovdepovskogo" drug, produced by different firms.
Since we are talking about complete analogues with the same active substances: lanceolate thermopsis and soda (it is sodium hydrogencarbonate), it makes no sense to describe each of them separately, especially since they do not differ either in contraindications or in the dosing regimen. It should be understood that in this case it is not just a matter of the thermopsis grass, but of multicomponent preparations that can be combined under the imaginative name of "tablets for coughing thermopsis and soda".
How will the complex drug act? Well, with the pharmacodynamics of thermopsis, we already had the pleasure to get acquainted and have a clear concept of how it alleviates the painful dry and difficult wet cough. But as for soda and its contribution to the action of the drug, here you can stop a bit. Soda is known for its many softening properties, it is not without reason that it is pleasant to use as a raw material for inhalations for colds and bronchitis. But it is also a strong irritant, which, getting into the bronchi, stimulates the production of bronchial secretions. The secret of the bronchial glands is mixed with an inflammatory, semi-viscous exudate and makes it more fluid than facilitating the excretion of mucus from the bronchi.
The combined action of soda and thermopsis provides the tablet with a palpable expectorant effect, enhancing it with mucolytic action.
Release form
What other tablets of cough thermopsis can I find today on sale? Combined drug with a simple name "Tablets with cough thermopsis + licorice extract", which contains extracts of herbs of thermopsis and licorice root, soda and additional components. This drug with increased expectorant effect also belongs to the category of budget funds.
Assign tablets of thermopsis with soda and licorice to patients older than 12 years. Single dose - 1 tablet. Adults need to take the drug 3 to 4 times a day, adolescents enough two times a day. The treatment usually takes 3-5 days. If necessary, after 2 weeks of therapy, the drug can be repeated.
Do not administer the above tablets to children under 12 years of age, to women during pregnancy and lactation, and to patients with hypersensitivity to the components of the medication.
There is also such a tablet form of release as "Extract of dry thermpsis". Tablets are a mixture of milk sugar and grass extract. Tablets easily dissolve in water, they can also be crushed into powder. Powder before ingestion is dissolved with cool boiled water in an amount of 20-50 ml.
The drug is designed to treat patients older than 6 years of age. Adults take 1-2 tablets (0.05-0.1 g of powder) 2 or 3 times a day. Children under 12 years of age are given ½ tablets (0.025 grams of powder) with the same multiplicity of intake. Treatment continues for 3 to 5 days.
The most popular among doctors and patients are, of course, tablets with thermopsis, but this does not mean that they are the only form of release of drugs with this herbal plant as an active substance. After examining the contents of pharmacy shelves, one can also find a herb of thermopsis in the form of a powder for the preparation of medicinal infusions, "Cough potions" and "Thermopsis with licorice" syrup .
"Thermoses of lanceolate grass" - a preparation in the form of a powder. From it prepare infusion, which can treat children, starting with the age of two. To prepare the infusion, the required amount of the drug is poured into a glass (0.2 liters) of warm water, stirred and kept on a water bath for a quarter of an hour with the lid closed. Filtered cold infusion can be stored in the cold for no more than 3 days.
The amount of powder required for the preparation of a medicine depends on the age of the patient. For children under 6 years, a glass of water is taken only 0.2 g of grass, for older patients - 0.6 g.
Infusion for children (0.2 g of grass) can be given with pediatrician's permission to give babies, beginning not with 2 years, but from 5 months. Babies up to a year give infusion 2 or 3 times a day for 1 tsp, for children 1-6 years, the frequency of reception will be 3-4 times a day, and a single dose is 2 tsp.
Infusion for adults (0.6 g of grass) is intended for the treatment of patients, starting from 6 years. Up to 12 years of age, children are given 1 tsp. Drugs, the adult dose is 1 tbsp. Multiplicity of admission in both cases - 3 or 4 times a day.
The course of treatment for children and adults should be at least 3 days, but more than 5 days infusion is not recommended.
"Cough Syringe for adults dry" with thermopsis is a preparation that comes in the form of powder, packaged in single packets of 1.7 grams. In addition to the extract of thermopsis, it contains an extract from the licorice root, soda, sugar and other components, which renders an anti-inflammatory and expectorant effect, in parallel reducing the number and intensity of coughing attacks.
According to the instructions, the drug should be used to treat patients older than 12 years, but in fact doctors can prescribe it from the age of 6. Take the drug, dissolving the contents of the package in 1 tbsp. Cool boiled water.
Children up to 12 years of age can be given ½ packets of powder. The adult single dose is 1 sachet. Take the drug in both cases is recommended 3 or 4 times a day.
Do not worry about overdosing with the drug, because it can only come if the patient takes more than 14 bags of powder one time, which is very unlikely.
But the contraindications to the use of the medicine still need to be considered. The drug of this form is not prescribed for patients with hypersensitivity to its components, in pregnancy and lactation, intolerance to fructose and various disorders of glucose metabolism. Admission of the drug is also undesirable in the acute stage of inflammatory diseases of the kidneys (pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis).
Side effects of the powder and mixture are reduced to allergic reactions with hypersensitivity to the components and the result of irritating effects on the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract in the form of nausea, vomiting and stool disorders.
To store a dry mixture at room temperature can be within a year and a half. But the finished medicine will have to be placed in a dark cool place (ideally in a refrigerator) and used within 2 days.
Cough syrup "Thermopsis with licorice" (may be issued under the name "Amtersol") - a form of the drug, designed to combat the painful symptom in patients older than 3 years. In the treatment of cough, many doctors prefer syrups that are effective and taste more pleasant than tablets and medicines. True, the thermopsis syrup for some reason did not acquire great popularity in this respect, perhaps because of the lack of wide advertising, as in the case of other drugs.
Pharmacodynamics. The pronounced expectorant effect of the syrup is due not only to the plant components that make up it (it is a thick extract of licorice roots and a liquid extract of the lanceolate thermopsis grass), but also components such as potassium bromide (which helps to reduce the excitability of the central nervous system, which gives some antitussive effect) and ammonium chloride (expectorant). Also, the syrup contains a preservative (sodium bromide), sugar and alcohol (about 10%).
The syrup has a weak aroma and a rather pleasant taste. Take it is recommended after meals three times a day in dosages, depending on the age of the patient. So, children under 6 years of age should be given ½ tsp. For the reception, children under 12 years can be offered already 1 tsp. Adolescents take for once a dessert spoon, and adult patients - 1 tbsp.
Usually, treatment with thermopsis drugs is performed for no more than 5 days, but the treatment course for syrup is designed for a longer period of 1.5-2 weeks. If necessary, the doctor may prescribe another therapeutic course.
As for contraindications to the use of thermopsis syrup, it is not prescribed for hypersensitivity to at least one of the components of the drug, with exacerbation of gastrointestinal ulcers, during pregnancy and during lactation, in disorders of glucose metabolism, in lung pathologies with a probability of hemoptysis.
The syrup contains alcohol, so it can be dangerous for epileptics, patients with severe liver diseases and organic brain diseases, people who have undergone traumatic brain injury. It is not acceptable to take ethanol-containing medication and people who have alcoholism or who have been treated with it.
Caution in taking syrup should be observed for patients with diabetes mellitus, as well as people practicing low-carb diets. It is not recommended to take this form of the drug and those whose activities are associated with danger and require high concentration of attention.
Among the side effects of the drug in the form of syrup, only possible allergic reactions are noted.
Store the syrup in its original packaging at a temperature of no more than 25 degrees can be within 2 years.
As we can see, on the basis of the long-known herb of lanceolate thermopsis, many effective cough drugs have already been created that can be selected in accordance with the taste preferences and age of the patient. And this without taking into account multicomponent fees, where the herb with a pronounced expectorant effect acts as one of the active substances, providing a quick recovery from a disease accompanied by a difficult cough.
Pharmacodynamics
Pharmacodynamics preparations based on thermopsis (and there are currently several varieties) is just based on the expectorant effect of thermopsin. But treatment with these effective natural remedies with a minimum of side effects should be carried out with a certain degree of caution. The ability of thermopsis to stimulate the contractile movements of the smooth muscles of the bronchi in an overdose can be of poor service, triggering an emetic reflex. Although poisoning, thermopsis, which is used for cough, can cause vomiting more effectively than any other emetic.
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacokinetics tells us how the active substance of tablets and other forms of drugs with thermopsis after oral administration (from the throat and esophagus) can get to the site of inflammation localization, i.e. In the bronchi. Alkaloids, saponins and other beneficial substances contained in the grass will have to travel a long, circular path: from the esophagus to the stomach, from the stomach to the intestine, where they are absorbed into the bloodstream and already through the blood vessels enter the bronchi to make them work more actively, removing unnecessary mucus, bacteria, viruses.
Dosing and administration
As for tablets with thermopsis and soda, doctors recommend taking them three times a day. Single dose for adult patients - 1 tablet. For adolescents aged 12-18, a doctor may prescribe ½ or 1 tablet per reception depending on the severity of the condition and the characteristics of the child's organism. For children aged 6-12 years, pediatricians prescribe tablets with caution, limiting the dose to ½ tablets.
To chew tablets is undesirable, because in this way only the negative effect on the stomach increases. They are swallowed whole (or in half) and washed down with warm water in large quantities, which additionally contributes to the dilution of sputum in the bronchi.
The duration of treatment with the drug, regardless of age, can be from 3 to 7 days. But more than a week to take medicine is not recommended by the doctors themselves.
Thermopsis is considered a poisonous plant, therefore it is necessary to give it to children with extreme caution. In many respects, this fact explains the ban on the use of tablets for the treatment of children younger than 12 years of age, plus the lack of information on the safety of drugs in childhood (there were no clinical trials). But this prohibition takes place only on paper with the instruction printed on it. Doctors, bypassing the instructions, successfully treat tablets of thermopsis from children's cough, starting at 6 years old, and even earlier. There were no negative consequences until now.
Use of the thermopsis from coughing during pregnancy
With regard to the use of thermopsis drugs against cough during pregnancy, it is worthwhile to expect future mothers if they dream of giving birth to a full-term baby. The fact is that one of the alkaloids of thermopsis (namely pachycarpine), like thermopsin, can cause a contraction of smooth muscles, but its effect extends not only to the bronchi, but also to the uterus. In pregnancy, increasing the tone and contraction of the uterus carries the risk of miscarriage (in the early stages) and premature birth (in the last trimester).
Doctors do not recommend drugs containing alkaloids of thermopsis to pregnant women. They can be taken only as a last resort (but it is better to find a safer plant product), in a limited dosage set by the attending physician taking into account the condition of the woman, and not before the third trimester of pregnancy.
Contraindications
Before taking any medicine, you first need to familiarize yourself with such an important item that allows, while restoring the health of one body, not to injure others. After all, even the natural composition of tablets with thermopsis is not evidence of its absolute safety. Both the extract of thermopsis and soda exert an irritating effect not only on the bronchi, but also on the mucous membrane of the stomach and the initial parts of the intestine, which is unsafe for peptic ulcers of the digestive tract in the period of exacerbation.
Like other drugs, the described tablets are not recommended for use by doctors with hypersensitivity to any of the components of the drug, thereby not provoking severe allergic and anaphylactic reactions. Danger activation of the bronchial tubes to produce sputum in pathologies that are accompanied by hemoptysis. Caution should be observed for patients with acute forms of inflammatory diseases of the kidneys (pyelonephritis and glomerulonephritis), because the removal of the components of the medicine from the body is primarily concerned with this organ.
Side effects of the thermopsis from coughing
Regardless of the form of release, drugs with thermopsis can primarily cause negative reactions from the gastrointestinal tract. It can be nausea, epigastric pain, vomiting (especially when the dose is exceeded) caused by the irritating effect of plant alkaloids on the receptors of the gastric mucosa and esophagus.
In people with certain features of the immune system, the plant can cause allergic reactions of varying severity, including anaphylactic shock and angioedema of the throat.
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Interactions with other drugs
The thermopsis from cough is used not for the purpose of arresting coughing attacks, but for their stimulation and facilitating the excretion of sputum from the bronchi. Their action is the opposite of the effects of antitussive agents. If the expectorant is used in parallel and the drugs with oppressive effects on the cough center (for example, codeine-based drugs), the result can be quite sad. Thermopsis from dry cough will stimulate the production of mucus, there will be a lot of phlegm, and the desire to expectorate it will disappear. This will lead to stagnant phenomena in the bronchi, which only exacerbate the inflammation.
Antitussive medications are worth taking already at the end of the disease, when an unproductive cough acts as a residual phenomenon and is no longer associated with an infectious and inflammatory process.
Since all the preparations of thermopsis are intended for oral administration, i.e. Pass through the gastrointestinal tract, their absorption can have a negative effect on the intake of drugs that protect the stomach and intestinal mucosa from irritation and have an enveloping effect. It's about antacids, enterosorbents, drugs that reduce the acidity of the stomach. Such medications should be taken 1,5-2 hours before treatment with thermopsis or after the same time after taking the expectorant.
Reviews about thermopsis
Appearing a few decades ago, "Tablets from a cough," the main active substance of which is lanceolate thermopsis, has not lost its relevance. And it's not a low price for this and other forms of drugs with the above medicinal herb. After all, if tablets, potions and syrups of thermopsis did not have the stated effect, they would simply stop buying even despite the cost. Health is more expensive.
After reading reviews on preparations of various forms of release, you can be sure that the vast majority of adult patients and parents of children who had to be treated with syrup, infusion or tablets are more than satisfied with such an effective and inexpensive medicine, because cough treatment in many cases did not last more than 5 days. How much it will be important to understand those who have already had to face bronchitis or tracheitis, when coughing torments day and night, and sputum is excreted with great difficulty and pain in the throat.
As for the side effects, they are practically not mentioned anywhere, and this indicates that they are extremely rare. This fact can be considered another plus of medicines with thermopsis.
It is clear that only words of gratitude to manufacturers of such effective medicines can not do it. As with other drugs, in the direction of funds with thermopsis there are also negative reviews. About 5-8% of people write that they did not help the prescribed drug. But given the low percentage of negative reviews, we can speak more about individual characteristics of the organism of such patients, which proved insensitive to the action of thermopsis. This is not an indication of the ineffectiveness of the drug. A certain percentage of failures in the treatment of specific drugs is always, but the less it is (in this case this percentage is low), the more effective the drug is considered.
And one more thing, which is not always taken into account by those who write negative reviews. Preparations of thermopsis belong to the category of expectorants, even if some antitussive effect is incorporated into the mechanism of their action. Some patients, exhausted with a cough, think that taking special anti-tussive drugs will not hurt and will not affect the effect of expectorants, but will simply reduce the intensity of cough.
In practice, it appears that antitussive drugs actually reduce the activity of expectorants. Moreover, an increase in the secretion of bronchial glands, stimulated by means of thermopsis, with oppression of the cough reflex will lead to obstruction of the bronchi by mucus and a decrease in the clearance through which air enters the lungs. Hence, such reviews that thermopsis only aggravated the disease, cough became less, but breathing is now more difficult.
Once again we remind you that antitussive drugs and expectorants are medicines with the opposite effect and it is useless to apply them together. And the purpose of such drugs is completely different.
Analogs of drugs with thermopsis
Thermopsis lanceolate is the herb that is most commonly used for coughing. All of the above forms of drugs with thermopsis have a pronounced expectorant effect, which turns out to be quite safe, given the plant composition of the medicines.
What can you offer from cough instead of thermopsis? Among synthetic drugs, drugs based on ambroxol (tablets Ambroxol hydrochloride, tablets, syrups and solutions Flavamed, Ambrobene, Lazolvan, etc.) come to the forefront, and Bromhexin. They are characterized by great efficiency and speed, but how all chemicals can have a negative effect on the body.
Since recently the pharmacological industry is increasingly leaning towards natural remedies, evaluating the merits of many medicinal herbs and plants, then on the shelves of pharmacies you can find safer drugs for fighting dry and difficult wet cough. Such preparations have a basis from medicinal herbs, which simultaneously dilute sputum, and help its rapid advance in the bronchi to the exit.
Among the tableted forms, the substitute for thermopsis is Mucaltin (a drug based on the root of an althaea), Bronchipret (primrose and thyme ), and Pectusin (menthol + eucalyptus), Candy-Lor lollipops, Bronchicum lozenges, tablets (sozhe) "Prospan".
With a dry and difficult wet cough, you can also use the drops of Dr. Thyss, plant syrups for coughing "Pertussin", "Syrup altea", "Alteika", "Plantain syrup", "Licorice extract", "Prospan", "Eucabal" " Gedeliks ", "Gerbion", "Bronhikum" et al.
Virtually all of these drugs are suitable for the treatment of adults and children (age should be specified in the instructions) and have good reviews. But not all preparations have the same low price, as preparations of thermopsis.
The choice of cough medicines in pharmacies for today is large enough to pick up a medicine and to taste, and on a pocket. Thermopsis from cough is one of the variants of effective inexpensive treatment, available to almost everyone. Therefore, it makes sense to start with it. Perhaps in the future and do not have to spend money on expensive expectorants. Defeating the enemy (cough) with minimal losses (costs) is a double victory.
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Attention!
To simplify the perception of information, this instruction for use of the drug "Thermopsis from dry cough" translated and presented in a special form on the basis of the official instructions for medical use of the drug. Before use read the annotation that came directly to medicines.
Description provided for informational purposes and is not a guide to self-healing. The need for this drug, the purpose of the treatment regimen, methods and dose of the drug is determined solely by the attending physician. Self-medication is dangerous for your health.