Why is licorice cough syrup so good and how to use it. Licorice for children: a delicious treatment

Respiratory system diseases are most common in childhood. All parents face them, so the choice of cough medicines is very relevant for every mother. If a sick child coughs, and sputum is difficult to excrete, he is prescribed drugs with an expectorant effect.

These drugs help thin the mucus in the airways and stimulate its secretion, making the cough more productive.

Most often, these drugs are represented by syrups. Some of them are made from plant components, others are made from synthetic compounds. And when choosing a syrup for a small child, for example, at the age of 3 years or 5 years, most moms lean towards herbal remedies, one of which is licorice root syrup. In order for such a drug to help cope with a cough, you need to know how to use it for children and how much syrup to give to a child, depending on his age.

Compound

100 grams of syrup contains 4 grams of its main active ingredient, represented by a thick extract of licorice roots. Such a plant, also called licorice or yellow root, has long been used in the treatment of coughs. It is found in the European part of the country, in Siberia, as well as in the Caucasus. An extract is obtained from licorice roots, and then various medicines are made.

It is important to note that every 100 ml of licorice root syrup contains 10 ml of ethyl alcohol 96%. This information should be taken into account when choosing a remedy for treating cough in infants. The third component of the drug is sugar syrup, which contains 86 grams in a 100-gram bottle. This composition causes the syrup brown color, sweet taste and a peculiar smell.

So that the licorice extract does not lose its medicinal properties and is stored for a long time, it is produced in dark glass bottles. Some manufacturers add preservatives, water, purified glycerin, citric acid and other substances to the preparation, but the most common drugs are those that contain only licorice, sugar and alcohol.

How does it affect the child's body?

The main effect of the syrup, which contains licorice root, is to stimulate the motor and secretory functions of the respiratory system. The drug is prescribed for a wet cough, as an expectorant, if there is a viscous, thick and poorly separated secret in the child's bronchi.

The properties of the drug are due to the presence in licorice roots of such active substances as glycyrrhizic acid, essential oils, glycyrrhizin, polysaccharides and flavone glycosides. It is these compounds that activate the function of the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract and relieve spasm of the smooth muscles of the bronchi, due to which the mucus liquefies, and its release during coughing is facilitated.

Licorice root syrup dilutes phlegm, making it easier to discharge from the bronchi

In addition to the expectorant effect, licorice syrup has other effects:

• General strengthening of the child's body.
• Anti-inflammatory effect.
• Antimicrobial as well as antiviral activity.
• Stimulation of the protective forces of the child's body.
• Acceleration of healing of mucous membranes.
• Lowering the level of cholesterol in the blood.
• Diuretic and laxative effect.
• Antitumor activity.

In addition to expectorant properties, licorice acts as an antiseptic, protecting and strengthening the children's body.

Advantages

The frequent use of licorice syrup in the treatment of cough in children is due to a fairly large number of positive characteristics of such a medicine:

• Licorice root syrup is an affordable inexpensive drug found in many pharmacies.
• The basis of the medicine is vegetable raw materials (natural root extract), so it can be given in childhood.
• Due to the sweet taste, most sick children do not refuse this type of medicine.
• Such a syrup is a ready-made remedy that can be immediately given to a coughing child without the need to mix, boil or infuse anything.
• Thick syrup quickly envelops the mucous membrane and begins to act almost immediately after ingestion.
• Licorice syrup is quite convenient to dose. Many manufacturers include a measuring spoon or measuring cup in the packaging of such a medicine.

Licorice root syrup tastes good and is easy to use

Indications

Given the expectorant effect, licorice root syrup is most often prescribed:

• With acute bronchitis.
• To relieve cough in acute laryngitis.
• With pneumonia.
• With tracheitis.
• With chronic bronchitis.
• With bronchiectasis.

Also, the drug can be prescribed during surgery on the respiratory tract, both before and after the intervention. It is also recommended for gastritis or peptic ulcer, but only during the period of recovery and remission.

Licorice syrup is prescribed not only for a difficult cough, but also for stomach diseases

Contraindications

Before you figure out how to give licorice syrup to children, you should also take into account the presence of some contraindications to such a remedy.

This drug should not be given to children with:

• Hypersensitivity to any of the components of the drug.
• Gastritis in the acute stage.
• Bronchial asthma.
• Heart rhythm disturbances.
• Peptic ulcer of the digestive system.
• Hypertension.
• Impaired kidney or liver function.

In diabetes mellitus, the medicine must be prescribed very carefully, because it includes sugar.

Talk to your doctor before giving licorice root syrup to your child.

For more information about the benefits of licorice root, see the program "Live Healthy".

At what age can it be used in children?

The syrup, which is made from licorice root extract, is approved for use at any age, but most pediatricians do not advise giving such a remedy to children in the first year of life due to the presence of ethyl alcohol in its composition. The use of licorice syrup is recommended for children who are already 1 year old.

In this case, the use of this medication in children 1-12 years of age should be agreed with the attending physician, which will clarify the dosage and determine if there are any contraindications. The doctor will also take into account that this medicine has an incompatibility with some other medicines. For these reasons, giving licorice syrup to children under 12 on their own is not recommended.

Licorice root syrup is allowed to be given to children from 1 year old, observing the dosage

Application methods

The medicine is taken orally after meals, but before giving it to a child to drink, you should learn how to dilute this drug. To dilute the syrup, children need to take boiled water at room temperature. In addition, before measuring the required dose of syrup, the bottle should be shaken. If the drug is measured in drops, they are dripped into a spoonful of water.

• Children aged 1-2 years are given 1 or 2 drops of syrup at one time.
• For children who are 2 years old, the required amount of medicine is diluted in a tablespoon or in a quarter glass of water.
• At the age of 2 to 6 years, the dose of the drug can vary from 2 to 10 drops, for example, a child at 4 years old can be given 5 drops of syrup at a time.
• Children over 7 years old to 12 years of age are recommended to dilute 50 drops of medicine in half a glass of water.

Max. a single dosage of licorice syrup depending on age is as follows:

The frequency of use of the syrup is three times a day, and the duration of treatment is from 7 to 10 days. In order for the expectorant effect of such a medicine to be more pronounced, the child should be given a lot of warm drink, for example, weak tea or unsweetened compote.

Side effect

Some children who take licorice root syrup experience nausea and diarrhea. Also, the drug can cause an allergic reaction, which is manifested by itching, swelling and redness of the skin, rash. If such signs of intolerance occur, the drug is canceled, replacing it with a drug with a similar effect.

Side effects may also occur if the recommended duration of treatment is violated (taken longer than 10 days). If you use products with licorice for a long time, this can lead to an imbalance in the fluid and electrolytes in the body, which will cause swelling and increase blood pressure.

The same side effect is noted when licorice root syrup is combined with diuretics, cardiac glycosides, laxatives and some other groups of drugs. It is very dangerous to take such a syrup along with antitussive drugs that can suppress the cough reflex.

Long-term use of licorice syrup can cause digestive upset, nausea, and allergies.

Cough in a child is a symptom that requires immediate treatment. But using any drugs here will not work. Treatment should be comprehensive and include only those medicines that contain natural ingredients. Very often, pediatricians prescribe Licorice syrup to eliminate cough for children. This is a very effective drug, which can be used for the smallest.

Also, the drug has a positive effect in the treatment of laryngitis, pharyngitis.

But it is not always possible to use licorice syrup. There are some restrictions. So, doctors do not prescribe treatment using this drug for children suffering from diabetes. Another syrup is prohibited for admission to patients who have an individual intolerance to its individual components. With special care, the medicine should be treated in the case when the baby has gastritis, ulcers, allergies, high blood pressure. The dosage and regimen of the drug should be prescribed by the attending physician.

What to do. when there is a strong sore throat and dry cough, you can find out

If you do not follow the instructions of the pediatrician, then as a result, the baby may experience the following side effects:

• severe rash;
• violation of the water-electrolyte balance;
• redness on the skin.

The course of therapy prescribed by the doctor must be observed in full order. If you are carried away with licorice syrup, then the baby may develop the following pathology:

• hypokalemia;
• hypertension;
• myoglobinuria;
• myopathy.

Syrup regimen for babies of different ages

During the treatment of cough, it is very important to strictly observe the dosage, which is different for a certain age of the patient. So, the intake of syrup should be used as follows:

1. Patients under 2 years old - use the medicine only as directed by a doctor, just 2 drops per 10 g of water are enough.
2. Children 2-12 years old - a dessert spoon dissolved in 200 ml of cold water.
3. Patients over 12 years old - a dessert spoon for ¼ cup.

In order to facilitate the release of sputum, the drug must be washed down with plenty of water. The therapeutic course is 10 days, but no more, otherwise side effects can be earned.

And how to stop it, you can learn from the article.

Price

You can buy this drug at any pharmacy without a prescription. The medicine costs only 55 rubles.

In medical practice, when a cough occurs in adults or a child, licorice syrup is often prescribed. The medicine is made on the basis of natural ingredients, is an effective expectorant and anti-inflammatory agent. Due to its natural origin, the drug has a minimum of contraindications. Patients will appreciate the low price and sweet taste of the drug. In order not to harm your body, it is recommended to consult a doctor to establish a suitable intake regimen.

What is licorice syrup

The medicine from licorice rhizomes is created on the basis of natural ingredients. The plant is used in medicine to treat patients of different age groups. The composition of the product includes a number of useful substances that have an anti-inflammatory effect, relieve spasms, and relax smooth muscles. According to patients, this is one of the herbal preparations that have a pleasant taste. You need to store it in a dark place that is inaccessible to children.

Compound

The medicine is a brown liquid viscous substance that has a sweet taste and a specific smell. The medicinal properties of the drug are due to the fact that it contains glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhizic acid. The following substances are used as auxiliary substances:

• essential oils;
• polysaccharides;
• coumarins;
• flavonoid compounds.

pharmachologic effect

Due to its beneficial components, licorice has the following pharmacological properties:

• has an expectorant effect;
• has a good antiviral effect;
• helps to get rid of inflammation;
• relieves spasms and relaxes smooth muscle tissue;
• has a laxative effect;
• strengthens the immune system.

What helps

Doctors prescribe medicine for respiratory diseases. Licorice root syrup is used in conjunction with other drugs. The remedy is especially effective in the fight against colds (tracheitis, laryngitis), as well as in bronchial asthma, acute and chronic bronchitis, pneumonia. In addition, it is recommended to use licorice root syrup as a laxative in violation of the bowels.

Licorice root extract is used for diseases of the stomach, duodenum. The drug has an anti-inflammatory, healing and enveloping effect, is used for chronic forms of gastritis, stomach ulcers. However, the use of syrup is undesirable during exacerbation of ailments. In addition, the drug is suitable for the treatment of some other diseases:

• cough caused by addiction to smoking;
• dysfunction of the adrenal cortex;
• pyelitis, cystitis, pyelonephritis;
• dermatitis of various origins;
• rheumatism;
• hemorrhoids;
• gout;
• eczema.

What cough to take

The main indication for the use of licorice is a strong dry and wet cough. The components of the drug help to clear the patient's airways. Licorice cough syrup promotes the separation of viscous mucus that forms inside the bronchi and lungs. This substance is harmful to the body because it contains a large number of bacteria and makes breathing difficult. Licorice root for cough successfully removes phlegm, leaving the organs clean and healthy, alleviates the condition and removes spasms.

Instructions for use of licorice syrup

Therapy with licorice root syrup will bring a positive reaction of the body if the remedy is used correctly. The use of the drug should be carried out 3 times a day after meals. The course of treatment with syrup should not exceed 10 days. Due to the sweet taste, the medicine is widely used by pediatricians. The dosage for children must be determined by the doctor.

For adults

The use of herbal medicines from licorice will help adults cope with coughs and other diseases, strengthen immunity. In order for the remedy to have a beneficial effect on the body, it is important to choose the right dosage. The dosage regimen for adults should be prescribed by a doctor. The recommended amount of syrup is 1 dessert spoon. The use of the mixture should take place three times a day, while the composition should be diluted in ½ tbsp. water.

For children

Doctors prescribe decoctions, syrup or tincture for coughing, based on the age of the child. Dosage, how to drink licorice root, is selected individually:

• for babies under 2 years old, it is recommended to give no more than 2 drops of syrup three times a day;
• for a child aged 2 to 6 years, licorice cough is shown 3 times a day, 2-10 drops each;
• children under the age of twelve for treatment will need 50 drops of syrup based on licorice root, should be taken three times a day;
• after 12 years, you can give the child 1 teaspoon of the drug 3 times a day.

How to dilute licorice syrup

Every mother needs to know when and how to take licorice syrup for coughing children:

• if the child is over 12 years old, dilute the required amount of syrup in 100 ml of water;
• for the treatment of cough, a child of 6-12 years old will need to dilute the medicine with water in the amount of ½ cup;
• babies under 6 years of age will need to dilute the prescribed dose of syrup in 1 tsp. warm water.

For women

For the beautiful half of humanity, licorice root is of value due to the content of natural female sex hormones - estrogens. With a lack of these substances in the body, ovarian dysfunction, a violation of the menstruation cycle, can occur. Negative manifestations become noticeable with the onset of menopausal changes in the body.

The use of certain medicinal herbs, including licorice, helps to reduce testosterone levels and normalize the cycle. Courses of treatment with syrup help lower cholesterol. Due to the antispasmodic effect, they can reduce pain during menstruation. You need to take 1 tbsp. l. three times a day half an hour before meals. It is forbidden to use syrup from licorice rhizomes during pregnancy. With caution, its use should be approached during lactation.

During pregnancy and lactation

During the period of bearing a child, doctors do not recommend using licorice for coughs or other ailments. The licorice root is able to act relaxingly on the smooth muscles, providing the process of clearing the bronchi. Such an effect can have a negative impact on the formation of the fetal body. Licorice syrup taken during pregnancy can provoke edema, which leads to late toxicosis. Herbal medicine increases the activity of hormones, upsetting the balance of the body. As a result, the risk of miscarriage increases.

drug interaction

The preparation of licorice is not recommended for use with diuretics, since such a tandem can provoke an increased excretion of potassium from the body. A similar effect is manifested if you simultaneously take a herbal remedy with heart medicines. Hormonal drugs and laxatives can create conditions for electrolyte imbalance, since licorice will enhance the laxative effect.

Side effects and overdose

Taking licorice can provoke an allergic reaction, which is expressed by a rash, itching, redness of the skin. A side effect of the drug is often an increase in blood pressure and an imbalance of electrolytes in the body. Taking an excessive amount of herbal medicine leads to a decrease in the concentration of potassium, hypertension, myoglobinuria, myopathy. If you notice a deterioration in your condition with prolonged use or a single use of the drug, consult a doctor.

Contraindications

The drug is contraindicated in pregnant women and nursing mothers, children under the age of 1 year, since the root-based medicine contains alcohol. In addition, it is forbidden to use licorice rhizome syrup for people suffering from the following ailments:

• allergy to the components of the drug;
• liver disorders that disrupt its functioning;
• hypertension;
• patients with diabetes;
• lesions of the heart of an organic nature;
• cirrhosis of the liver;
• lack of potassium in the body;
• kidney failure.

Patients with exacerbation of chronic gastrointestinal diseases take the medicine with caution. Such ailments include peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, gastritis, erosion. This representative of medicinal preparations based on licorice contains ethyl alcohol. The component can provoke an increase in the content of acid and damage to the gastric mucosa.

Analogues

According to the mechanism of action, licorice syrup is analogous to the following drugs:

• Gedelix is ​​a remedy that has an expectorant and antispasmodic effect, the active substance of which is ivy extract. Available in the form of syrup and drops. Gedelix is ​​prescribed as a medicine that removes sputum, is used for diseases of the bronchi and upper respiratory tract, accompanied by a cough.
• Pertussin is a combined herbal remedy that helps to thin viscous sputum and remove it from the body. In addition to expectorant, the drug has a bronchospasmolytic and antimicrobial effect. Pertussin contains a liquid extract of thyme, which provides thinning and easy removal of viscous, dense sputum.
• Codelac broncho is a dark brown elixir, consisting of essential oils of thyme. The drug has an expectorant effect, has an anti-inflammatory effect. The drug is able to reduce the viscosity of sputum, improve the motility of the epithelium of the bronchi and lungs.

Price

You can buy licorice root syrup at a pharmacy or buy it in an online store. Before ordering goods from the catalogs provided on the sites, pay attention to the cost of delivery. Remember that the use of drugs can be harmful to health, so consult a specialist before purchasing. You can compare prices for licorice in Moscow pharmacies using the table:

Video

Licorice root syrup refers to expectorant drugs, and therefore in most cases it is prescribed for diseases of the respiratory tract. It promotes liquefaction and discharge of sputum, softens cough, relieves inflammation, and has an antimicrobial effect. You can also use it for prevention purposes - when there is no stagnation of mucus in the bronchi yet, but there is a possibility of its occurrence. Most often this happens in the postoperative period.

Licorice root syrup is approved for use in children older than a year, however, according to the indications and recommendations of a doctor, the age bar can be shifted to an earlier date. In this case, the medicine is prescribed to the crumbs literally drop by drop, otherwise there is a high probability of allergies and such unpleasant symptoms as heartburn and nausea.

Side effects may also occur in older children, but all of them, with the exception of allergies, do not pose any danger and do not require discontinuation of the drug.

It is not recommended to use licorice root syrup in its pure form until the child reaches the age of 12 years. It is better to give the medicine, after dissolving it in 50 ml of warm water. For preschoolers, the optimal dosage is 1/4 tsp. for one visit. For children aged 7-12 years, the dosage of the drug can be doubled. Drink the medicine should be 3-4 times a day. The duration of therapy is usually 7-10 days. In rare cases, a monthly course of treatment is also acceptable, for example, with bronchial asthma during an exacerbation, but it is important to regularly show the child to the doctor so that he evaluates the effectiveness and safety of therapy.

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Children over the age of 12 do not need to dilute the syrup with water. You can drink the medicine half a teaspoon three times a day after meals.

Contraindications to taking licorice root

Like any drug, licorice root syrup has a number of contraindications.

You can not use the medicine in the following cases:

• in the presence of individual intolerance
• with gastritis during an exacerbation
• with peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum
• with diabetes

If the child does not tolerate treatment well, for example, complains of nausea or heartburn, the syrup can be dissolved in more water (not 50 ml, but 70 or even 100)

Nowadays, when most parents are trying to find a cure for their child, including for the treatment of acute respiratory infections, it is a medicine made from natural ingredients that you should pay attention to such an excellent natural remedy as.

This is a very high quality and effective expectorant used to overcome children's coughs. Licorice root syrup, as a natural preparation, is completely safe for a child. But here it is important, especially in the context of over-the-counter sales of the drug, to correctly follow the doses and recommendations indicated in the instructions, and best of all, consult a doctor.

Indications for use

With the help of licorice root, it is possible to cure pneumonia, tracheitis, bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, gastritis in the period of remission as part of complex therapy, in addition, the remedy is used in the period of healing of stomach ulcers.

The properties of the drug are due to the bouquet of medicinal substances that make up its composition. Together, these healing substances have a positive effect on the nature of the course of the disease in a child.

Licorice root syrup has the property of thinning sputum and removing it from the bronchi and lungs, relieve coughing fits, facilitate expectoration of sputum, increase the immunity of the child's body, heal and disinfect the respiratory tract from wounds provoked by a strong cough. Among the properties of this drug is also an antiviral effect.

The action of the drug

Despite its relative cheapness, Licorice Root Syrup has a very wide spectrum of action. Particularly impressive results can be obtained if you start treating children with this drug in the very first stage of the disease. With a complicated and advanced cough, and even more complicated, one syrup can not defeat the disease, and in this case it is used as part of a complex treatment.

When treating a baby with Licorice Root Syrup, it is possible to achieve not only the rapid disappearance of cough, but also an improvement in the functioning of the children's gastrointestinal tract, since during the treatment the child also receives the necessary amount of tannins. An important property is the pleasant taste of the drug, which children consume without whim and with pleasure.

Application

Licorice root syrup can be given to children from the age of one. It is taken orally, after meals, three to four times a day.

Once again - be careful with the prescribed dosage! It is recommended from one to three years to give two and a half milliliters (half a teaspoon) of syrup at a time. From four to six years, the dose is increased to two and a half to five milliliters per dose, this is from half a teaspoon to a whole. From seven to nine years old, they already give from five to seven and a half milliliters per dose, and from ten to twelve - 7.5-10 milliliters. At an older age, an already adult dose is prescribed - fifteen milliliters, or three teaspoons (one tablespoon) per dose.

A dosing spoon is attached to the medicinal kit. The duration of treatment with Licorice Root Syrup is prescribed for each child individually, taking into account personal characteristics, the severity and characteristics of the course of the disease, and a number of other factors that are taken into account by the doctor. Be sure to take into account the tolerance of Licorice Root Syrup.

A simpler scheme for calculating doses is one in which the number of drops of medicine that is taken for a baby should be equal to the number of his full years.

Contraindications

Among the contraindications, in addition to the age of one year, is the undesirability of treating infants with this medicine, since it contains alcohol. And the requirement to dilute the dose with boiled water is connected precisely with this. The drug should not be given to children with bronchial asthma and diabetes mellitus.

Side effects

Extremely rarely, but cases of side effects of the drug were recorded, which, obviously, were associated with hypersensitivity and overdose. In these cases, itching and rash, hyperemia (redness) of the skin, swelling, nausea and diarrhea were manifested. If such symptoms occur, the treatment is canceled and they go to the doctor for a consultation.