Compound licorice tablets were once recognized as a miracle medicine for coughs, and taking two tablets when coughing can be a good relief for coughing.
Although there are many cough medicines available, there are still many middle-aged and elderly people who go to pharmacies to buy compound licorice tablets.
Nowadays, compound licorice tablets are almost invisible in pharmacies, since the antitussive effect of licorice tablets is so good, why is it restricted from purchasing?
Many pharmacies don't even sell this drug, is it because the price of this drug is too cheap and the profit is too low, so they don't sell it? In fact, the truth is not what we imagined.
01
The cough suppressant mechanism of compound licorice tablets
Whether or not compound licorice tablets are effective for dry cough depends mainly on the cause.
Compound licorice tablets belong to antitussive and expectorant Chinese patent medicines, and the effect on general dry cough is relatively good. However, if the cause of the symptom is not treated, even if cough suppressants are treated, the effect may not be ideal, and some patients may have repeated dry coughs.
Although compound licorice tablets have obvious cough suppressant effects, it is necessary to clarify the cause. For example, patients with cough variant asthma often need to be given inhaled corticosteroids, such as budesonide formoterol powder inhaler, combined with compound licorice tablets for cough therapy.
For patients with cough after a cold or cough caused by pharyngitis, cough suppressants alone may not be effective if they are not treated with throat lozenges or drugs that reduce airway sensitivity. Therefore, for patients with dry cough, do not blindly give compound licorice tablets to suppress cough, and must treat the cause at this time.
02
"Cough medicine" licorice tablets work well, why are they restricted from buying?
Since 2005, compound licorice tablets have been classified as prescription drugs by the Food and Drug Administration, and can only be used under the guidance of a doctor, and cannot be purchased on your own.
In 2020, the State Food and Drug Administration once again strengthened the restrictions on compound licorice tablets and issued the "Announcement on Revising the Instructions of Compound Licorice Tablets", revising the contents of "adverse reactions" and "precautions" in the instructions of compound licorice tablets, clarifying which groups of people should not take them.
Side effects of compound licorice tablets
1. Addictive
Opioids are commonly known as opium, opioids have a calming, antitussive effect, this is a drug that has the ability to make people dependent, even if it is taken in small amounts, but it will still produce a dependence effect over time.
As soon as the drug is stopped, the patient will yawn, cold sweat, runny nose, restlessness and many other symptoms, so it is generally ineffective after taking it for 3~5 days, and it is necessary to seek medical attention immediately, and do not take it all the time.
2. Cause organ failure
Since the camphor and sodium benzoate in compound licorice tablets contain certain toxicity, in the body, the organs with detoxification function are mainly the kidneys and liver. Therefore, taking too many compound licorice tablets or taking them for too long will cause the organs in the body to be unable to excrete the toxic components contained in the compound licorice tablets.
When this happens, the kidneys and livers in the body begin to be damaged, that is, they begin to fail, and in severe cases, death occurs. Therefore, people with poor kidneys and livers, as well as young children who have not yet completed their physical development, are not suitable for taking this drug.
3. Hypocyromemia
Long-term use of compound licorice tablets may cause hypokalemia, which can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as muscle weakness, bloating, nausea, and intestinal paralysis, and may also lead to dyspnea, arrhythmia, heart failure, and even sudden death.
The reason is that the glycyrrhizic acid contained in compound licorice tablets can play a role in the body's potassium excretion and sodium preservation, promote the excretion of potassium, and long-term use will greatly reduce the potassium concentration in the blood, thereby causing hypokalemia, especially in the elderly.
4. Triggers epilepsy
This is because the main ingredient in Compound Licorice Tablets is to treat our cerebral cortex and central nervous system, which means that our respiratory center and brain are likely to be affected by Compound Licorice Tablets.
It doesn't matter if you take a small dose for a short time, but if you take a large amount of it for a long time, it is likely to trigger convulsions and epilepsy, which is counterproductive.
03
What kind of people can't eat licorice tablets?
1. People with gastrointestinal diseases
Compound licorice tablets contain camphor and star anise oil, which should not be taken by patients with gastritis, gastric ulcer, and duodenal ulcer, so as not to aggravate the condition.
2. Infants and young children
Opioids are slowly cleared in infants and the elderly, with a long half-life, which can easily cause respiratory depression, and can be life-threatening if rescue is not timely. Therefore, infants and the elderly should use compound licorice tablets with caution.
3. Pregnant and lactating women
The main ingredient of compound licorice tablets is licorice, and licorice is likely to cause heavy bleeding or miscarriage in pregnant women, so pregnant women and lactating women should also be cautious about using compound licorice tablets.
4. Other populations
Licorice also has an estrogen-like effect, pregnant and lactating women, the elderly with prostatic enlargement and difficulty urinating, long-term alcoholism and alcohol addiction, and cough patients who are very emotionally unstable, it is best not to use compound licorice tablets.