With the onset of cold weather, getting sick becomes easier: practice shows that it is in the cold and rainy season that people catch a cold more often. Often, such pathologies are accompanied by a painful cough, which does not give rest to unfortunate patients.
An inexpensive, but very effective licorice root syrup will help get rid of this problem. If there are other components in this recipe, you can safely say that they are trying to sell you another medicine, so you should be especially careful when buying a drug.
Structure
Licorice syrup is a mucolytic drug that is made from licorice root. This medicine perfectly blocks the onset of inflammation in the lungs, and also helps to liquefy sputum and promotes its release. The composition of high-quality syrup, as a rule, includes licorice root extract, as well as sugar syrup, purified water and a fraction of ethyl alcohol.
Also in the composition there are such useful substances as:
- Polysaccharides.
- Glycyrrhizic acid.
- Steroid compounds.
- Tannins.
Thanks to tannins, the syrup is able to exert an enveloping effect, and also gently reduces discomfort and protects the mucous membranes from inflammation.
Glycyrrhizic acid is an antiviral and anti-inflammatory substance that also has a good immunostimulating effect.
Licorice syrup looks like a slightly viscous brownish liquid with a pungent odor.
Indications
Drinking licorice root syrup is indicated for patients with tracheitis, bronchitis, laryngitis and pharyngitis, as well as pneumonia, asthma or allergic cough. Licorice root will cope with any irritation in the throat, gently eliminating inflammatory processes due to colds or allergic reactions. Since licorice root syrup is prescribed for coughing, we can say that this medicine can cope with almost any inflammatory ailment associated with sore throat.
Thus, licorice syrup is able to cope with a large number of various diseases, such as:
- Chronical bronchitis.
- Cough with ARVI.
- Stomach ulcer.
- Gastritis.
- Bronchial asthma.
- Mucus plugs in the bronchi.
- Pneumonia.
The effectiveness of medication for diseases associated with the gastric mucosa is due to the anti-inflammatory and enveloping effect of the drug. Syrup helps to speed up the healing process, even on the mucous surfaces of the stomach.
However, it is most advisable to use this medicine for patients with SARS. The syrup greatly facilitates coughing, promotes sputum retreat and helps to recover more quickly due to mild activation of the patient's immunity.
Healing properties
Licorice syrup has a number of useful and healing effects. The medicinal properties of licorice root syrup include:
- Expectorant properties.
- Regenerating.
- Antiseptic.
- Antispasmodic.
- Enveloping.
- Antitumor.
- Emollients
- Immunomodulatory.
It is safe to say that licorice syrup has a wide range of medicinal properties, mainly aimed at alleviating and eliminating the inflammatory process in the respiratory tract. But the use of licorice root cough syrup is by no means the only case when this drug can help and alleviate a painful condition.
How to use
Many are insecure about how to drink licorice root syrup. In fact, there is nothing complicated in the instructions for use: you need to take a syrup in a spoon from 2 to 4 times a day in accordance with the severity of the disease, with a small amount of clean water. The taste of the medicine is not so nasty, so no difficulties will arise here. Take the medicine for more than 10 days is not worth it. This course is quite enough for a full recovery.
Does it help with dry or wet cough?
Many people have a question about whether cough syrup helps: dry or wet. Most often, doctors prescribe licorice syrup precisely with a dry cough: it is believed that this drug helps to liquefy sputum in a timely manner and contributes to its passage. Sputum quickly goes outside, which prevents the development of pathologies and contributes to the speedy recovery of the patient.
But this does not mean at all that this remedy cannot be used with a wet cough: in this case, the medicine copes with the problem no worse than with a dry one. The syrup has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. Thanks to this, the syrup gently acts on the body, gently removing sputum from the lungs and bringing the patient closer to recovery.
Thus, licorice syrup can and should be taken by patients with any type of cough. In any case, the drug will help relieve painful manifestations and soothe an irritated throat, and with the most effective effect, it will contribute to the elimination of sputum and subsequent recovery.
For children
Regarding the dosage of licorice root syrup, the instructions for children include the following aspects:
- Children from 1 to 3 years old need to drink 1.5-2.5 ml at least 3 times a day.
- From 4 to 6 years - 2.5-5 ml 3 times a day.
- From 7 to 9 years - 5-7.5 ml 3 times a day.
- From 10 to 12 years old - 7.5-10 ml 3 times a day.
The recommendation for the medicine says that giving licorice root syrup is better for children from a year old, however, some doctors recommend this medicine to babies at an earlier age. However, in this case, it is better to dilute the syrup with water and give half the smallest dose of the medicine.
For adults
Licorice syrup is an over-the-counter drug. However, this does not mean that he does not have recommendations for use and his own dosages. Since this is still primarily a medicine, its overdose can cause other problems, for example, diseases or inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract with uncontrolled use. That is why you need to know the instructions for using licorice root syrup for adults, especially since it is easy to remember:
- With inflammation of the upper respiratory tract - 15 ml 2 times a day.
- With inflammation of the lower respiratory tract - the same dose, but already three times a day.
In addition, you need to know that it is necessary to take licorice syrup after a meal, washed down with clean water. So the medicine can properly affect the body. Proper medication improves their effectiveness.
In the normal course of the disease without deterioration, licorice syrup is recommended to be taken no more than 7 or 10 days: usually this is enough for recovery. During this period, the drug blocks inflammation in the trachea, lungs and bronchi, expelling all sputum.
In case of severe illness, the drug is indicated for use up to 14 days. If after this period no improvement in the patient's condition is observed, it should be concluded that this medicine does not help a particular patient, or it should be taken together with broad-spectrum antibiotics.
However, some experts allow the drug to be taken up to 21 days, provided that during this time the disease slowly but surely declines.
Pregnant
At first glance, licorice root syrup seems to be a harmless and harmless medicine. Of course, this herbal preparation has a lot of advantages and useful properties, but, unfortunately, it contains some substances that can harm the baby in the womb.
With uncontrolled intake of the drug, metabolic processes can be disturbed and the hormonal background increases, which can even threaten the termination of pregnancy, which is especially dangerous in the early stages. That is why gynecologists do not recommend drinking licorice root syrup during pregnancy, at least in the first trimester.
Starting from the second trimester of pregnancy, women can take this medicine without fear, simply not exceeding the permitted dose. In any case, in order to determine the required amount of medication, a pregnant woman should consult a doctor to choose the most appropriate treatment.
As for taking syrup during lactation, you can do this absolutely calmly, without risking harm to your health or the health of your child.
Side effects
Like any medicine, licorice syrup can cause some side effects. As a rule, they appear only in case of an overdose and are manifested by headache, mild dizziness and nausea.
In addition, it is better not to take this medicine to people who are allergic to any components of the syrup or who are intolerant of elements from the composition. Otherwise, runny nose, rash or tearing and other signs of an allergic reaction can also add to the above effects.
If the patient is not sure of an allergy to any medications or their components, a test should be performed to find out: the doctor will be able to help carry out this procedure.
Contraindications
Licorice syrup also has contraindications, like any drug. With an overdose or improper administration, a number of side effects may occur, but it is also forbidden to take:
- Pregnant in the first trimester.
- People with chronic diseases of the digestive system.
- Suffering from kidney or liver failure.
- Patients with a tendency to edema.
- People with allergies.
- People with diabetes.
- Obese people of the last stage.
It is best to consult with your doctor before taking to avoid manifestations of unpleasant consequences.
Reviews
Licorice root syrup reviews for children are especially important to parents. However, each person should be interested in the real reaction of people and doctors to a particular drug.
Pediatricians and therapists share their successful experience in prescribing this drug. Although some parents are initially skeptical of this medicine, believing that the herbal preparation is not able to save their child or even themselves from pneumonia or serious bronchitis. However, doctors are convinced that this drug, especially in combination with special antibacterial agents, gives a positive result.
Most parents are satisfied with the result of treatment: the patient quickly gets to his feet and in less than a week can already be completely healthy. The main thing is to consult a doctor in a timely manner and listen to all recommendations regarding the dosage of syrup.