Author: Lin Gaohui, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University
"Cough cough cough..."
"Daughter, when you come back from work, help me buy a bottle of compound licorice oral liquid." I've been coughing badly these past two days. ”
"Mom, if you have a cold and don't feel well, go to the doctor, don't always drink licorice oral liquid when you cough."
"You don't have to see a doctor, you can buy it for me." I took two sips when I coughed and it got better very quickly, as it used to be. ”
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="9" > compound licorice oral solution</h1>
(Formerly known as compound licorice mixture, brown mixture), suitable for upper respiratory tract infections, bronchitis and cold cough and sputum production. This bottle of magic potion is famous, and many people have reported that it is effective, and once coughing, it is often two mouthfuls for no reason. Why is the cough effect of compound licorice oral liquid so good? And why, in recent years, the number of people using it has decreased? Let's take a look.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="46" > components</h1>
Compound licorice oral solution is a very old medicine, its history can be traced back a hundred years. Open the "Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2015 Edition)", we can see the formula of compound licorice oral solution: compound camphor tincture, licorice flow extract, guaifenesin ether, glycerin, concentrated ammonia solution, water.
Glycerol and concentrated ammonia solutions are excipients that keep the preparation stable and prevent precipitation from forming and precipitating.
Guaiacol glycerol ether is an expectorant cough suppressant; and has a certain antiseptic effect.
Licorice flow extract is a water leaching extract of licorice herbs, which is a protective expectorant.
What is that compound camphor tincture? The formula of compound camphor tincture in the Pharmacopoeia is as follows: camphor, opioid tincture, benzoic acid, star anise oil, ethanol, benzoic acid, star anise oil, ethanol is an excipient, camphor is currently mainly used externally, and the pharmacological effect after oral administration has not been fully studied. In the 1960s, it was found that camphor was neurological, hepatic and nephrotoxic, and it began to be banned.
Opioid tincture is an alcoholic solution of opioids, which we know as opium.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="48" > side effects</h1>
The reason why the compound licorice oral solution has a significant antitussive effect is because it contains opioid powerful antitussive ingredients such as morphine. However, due to the strong addiction of morphine and respiratory depression and other serious adverse reactions, it may lead to some consumers have adverse reactions or addictions; morphine allergies or morphine people who need to be banned may have serious adverse consequences due to accidental ingestion.
The main component of licorice flow extract is glycyrrhizic acid, but it has corticosteroid-like effects, which can affect water and electrolyte metabolism, popularly speaking, it can make our kidneys retain more water and sodium, if long-term, large amounts of use may lead to too much salt and water spilled in the body, causing hypokalemia, hypertension and other diseases.
Before 2017, the instructions for the compound licorice oral solution were written very simply, and many people did not know that the drug contained opioids. It is gratifying that the State Drug Administration has also taken note of this problem, and in 2017 issued a document requiring revision of the instructions for the compound licorice oral solution, detailing the composition of compound camphor tincture, adding items for adverse reactions, indicating that pregnant and lactating women are banned, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, respiratory suppressors, gastritis and peptic ulcer patients should be used with caution.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="50" > considerations</h1>
1. Taken with cephalosporin antibiotics, it can cause disulfiram-like reactions
Each 10 mL of compound licorice oral solution contains about 1 mL of ethanol. Disulfiram-like reactions can occur with cephalosporin antibiotics (eg, cefoperazone, ceftriaxone, etc.), nitroimidazole antibacterial drugs (metronidazole, tinidazole, sequecnidazole), and sulfonylureas (glibenclamide).
Special reminder: Due to the containing of ethanol, it is not allowed to operate machinery and drive vehicles after taking compound licorice oral solution.
2. Taken at the same time as a strong antitussive drug, it can cause respiratory depression
Compound licorice oral solution should be avoided in combination with strong antitussive drugs containing codeine and poppy husks, otherwise it may cause respiratory depression; it should not be combined with antitussive expectorants containing guaiacin ether (such as guaiac glycerin tablets, curable syrup, yumei tablets, etc.), otherwise it may cause gastrointestinal reactions such as nausea and vomiting.
3. Combined with antipyretic analgesics (aspirin, ibuprofen, diclofenac, indomethacin, etc.), it can cause gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding
Cough is the body's self-defense mechanism, adults if the cough is not serious can not take cough medicine. And now there are more safe and effective cough preparations, for complex compound preparations, should be carefully selected. Children are more sensitive to opioids, which are easy to cause poisoning, and they should not give young children this dangerous drug. Compound licorice oral solution is administered as a prescription drug because of its opioid content, and is a prescription drug that everyone should follow under the guidance of a physician.
Review expert: Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University Wei Li
The above is the original work of the volunteers of the "Drug Safety Cooperation Alliance", if you reprint, please indicate the author and source!
【Medicine Shield Public Welfare】PSM Pharmaceutical Shield Public Welfare (public number: PSMChina), a public welfare organization jointly initiated and established by the China Over-the-Counter Drug Association, the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, etc., gathers resources, gathers strength, and promotes the safety of public medication.