Cough. The place of herbal medicine in treatment

Abstract

Cough is one of the auxiliary mechanisms for cleaning the airways from mucus, foreign particles, microorganisms. The physiological cough reflex allows the mechanism of airway cleansing, provided that mucociliary clearance works sufficiently. However, sometimes the cough loses its protective function, becomes persistent, and impairs the quality of life of the patient. In this regard, in the treatment of cough, attention is paid to both secretomotor and secretolytic therapy. Medicinal plants are among the drugs with such properties. Numerous group of drugs containing herbal components has a reflex action, which allows coping most effectively with cough in the initial stages of diseases accompanied by respiratory symptoms. The most common among them and widely used are plantain leaf, coltsfoot leaf, thermopsis herb, ipecacuanha root, marshmallow root, licorice root, anise fruit, thyme (thyme) herb extract, ivy leaf extract. A well-known drug, the active ingredient of which is ivy leaf extract. Its mechanism of action consists in increasing the production of surfactant and increasing the number of β2-adrenoreceptors on the surface of alveolar cells of the bronchial tree, to which ivy active substance α-hederin is attached, which has a bronchospasmodic and expectorant action. Numerous clinical studies have proven a high efficacy and safety of the product based on ivy leaf extract, which allows us to recommend it as the drug of choice for symptomatic cough therapy in both children and adults during acute respiratory infections.

Keywords

• cough
• expectorant drugs
• herbal remedies
• ivy leaves
• saponins