MUCOLYTICS, ANTITUSSIVES AND EXPECTORANTS

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

DECONGESTANTS, MUCOLYTICS, 

EXPECTORANTS & ANTITUSSIVES

DRUGS ACTING ON RESPIRATORY SYSEM

      Cough is a protective reflex, its purpose being expulsion of respiratory secretions or foreign particles from air passages. It occurs due to stimulation of mechano - or chemo - receptors in throat, respiratory passages or stretch receptors in the lungs. Cough may be useful of useless. Useful ( productive ) cough serves to drain the airway, its suppression is not desirable, may even be harmful, except if the amount of expectoration achieved is small compared to the effort of continuous coughing.

These are drugs which increase bronchial secretion of reduce believed to loosen cough which becomes less tiring and more productive.

Directly acting : sodium & potassium citrate or acetate. Potassium iodide, Guaiacol, Guaiphenesin, balsam of Tolu, Vasaka, Terpin hydrate.

REFLEXLY ACTING :

Ammonium chloride of carbonate, Potassium iodide, Ipecacuanha, Scilla.

 

MUCOLYTICS :

It induces then copious secretion. It depolymarises mucopolysaccharides directly as well as by liberating lysosomal enzymes - network of fibres in tenaclous sputum is broken Bromhexine, Acetyl cysteine, Pancreatic Domase.

ANTI TUSSIVES :

These are drugs that act in the CNS to raise the threshold of cough centre or act peripherally in the respiratory tract to reduce tussal impulses. or both these action.Antiussives should be used primarily for dry unproductive cough or if cough is unduely tiring or hazardous ( Hermia, piles, cardiac disease, ocular surgery ) codeine, Pholocodeine, Ethylmorhine, Morphine, Noscapine, Dextromethorphan, Carbetapentane. Oxeladin Chlophendianol, Pipazethate.

ANTIHISTAMINES :

They afford relief in cough due to their sedative and anti cholinergic actions, but lack selectively for the cough centre.