The use of Herbion syrup in the treatment of cough in children

For the treatment of a child's cough, herbal preparations are often prescribed, for example, "Gerbion". Such remedies act on phlegm and help turn a dry cough into a productive cough, which speeds up recovery. But, before giving the medication to the child, it is worth learning about its effect on the child's body, the permitted dosages and possible harm.

Release form

Herbion preparations, which help against dry and wet coughs, are produced in Slovenia by the KRKA company. These are three different syrups with a similar effect but different composition. They are all sold in bottles made of dark glass. Inside one bottle is 150 ml of a brown syrupy liquid, which has a specific smell due to the main component of the drug. The bottle comes with a plastic spoon with divisions of 1.25 ml, 2.5 ml and 5 ml.

Composition

Depending on the active ingredients, there are several Herbion cough remedies.

"Primrose syrup". 5 ml of this syrup contains a little more than 1 gram of liquid extract from the roots of spring primrose, supplemented with another liquid extract in an amount of a little more than 2 grams - from the thyme herb. Auxiliary components of the drug are sucrose and levomenthol. In addition, this syrup contains methyl parahydroxybenzoate.

Plantain syrup. The action of this medicine is also provided by two liquid herbal extracts, presented in 5 ml of the medicine, 1.25 grams each. One of them is obtained from plantain leaves, the second - from mallow flowers. The third active ingredient of such a syrup is ascorbic acid contained in 5 ml of solution at a dose of 65 mg. Additionally, the preparation, like primrose-based syrup, includes methyl parahydroxybenzoate and sucrose, but levomenthol in Plantain Syrup is replaced with orange oil.

Ivy syrup. As the name implies, the main component of such a "Herbion" is represented by an extract from ivy leaves. Unlike other syrups, this extract is not liquid, but dry. It is presented in 1 ml of the drug with a dosage of 7 mg. It is supplemented with glycerol, liquid sorbitol, aromatic balsam and purified water. In addition, the medicine also contains citric acid and sodium benzoate, and the balm contains a small amount of ethanol (0.01 mg in one milliliter of medicine).

Operating principle

The plant extracts contained in any of the Herbion syrups have an expectorant effect, that is, they are able to influence the coughing up of sputum from the respiratory tract in case of their diseases. Such extracts from medicinal plants reduce the viscosity of bronchial secretions, as a result of which it is easier to separate from the bronchial mucosa (this effect is called mucolytic). In addition, the Herbion Ivy syrup has the property of relaxing the spasmodic muscles of the bronchi, and syrups based on plantain and primrose additionally have antimicrobial effect.

Indications

The reason to prescribe any of the Herbion syrups is a cough for various diseases of the respiratory system. Such medicines are recommended for very thick sputum, which the child coughs up with great difficulty. They are used for bronchitis, tracheitis and other diseases.

At what age is it prescribed?

The limitation for the use of any of the syrups under the Herbion brand is 2 years of age. If the baby is not yet two years old, then when he coughs, it is recommended to give him other expectorants that are allowed for young patients.

Contraindications

Treatment with Herbion cough drugs is prohibited:

if the child has hypersensitivity to the main or auxiliary component of the selected syrup;
if a small patient has hereditary pathologies in which sugar metabolism is impaired;
if the baby is diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.

Side effects

Due to the plant base, any of the Herbion syrups is capable of provoking an allergic reaction (rash, itching), therefore, when using for the first time, it is recommended to monitor the tolerance of the drug. In some children, taking Herbion syrup causes nausea or vomiting. Since the ivy-based medicine contains sorbitol, its use can lead to loose stools.

Instructions for use

"Gerbion" with any herbal extract should be given to the child after meals so that the sweet medicine does not affect the appetite. Since the active ingredients settle to the bottom during storage, the syrups should be shaken before each use. It is usually taken undiluted from the measuring spoon that comes with the bottle of syrup. Next, the child should be given a large amount of the medicine to drink with warm water. This will further enhance the expectorant effect of the medication.

Single doses depend on the active substance and the age of the small patient. For example, the dosages of "Primrose Syrup" for children of different ages are as follows:

for children 2-5 years old, the drug is given in half a spoon, that is, 2.5 ml each;
a child 5-14 years old should be given the medicine in a spoonful (5 ml each);
adolescents over 14 years old need 10 ml of syrup at a time, which corresponds to two measuring spoons at once.

"Plantain syrup" is given to a child in such a single dose:

at 2-7 years old - 5 ml (full measuring spoon);
at 7-14 years old - from 5 to 10 ml, that is, 1-2 dosage spoons;
over 14 years old - 10 ml each (two spoons at once).

Treatment with Ivy Syrup provides for the following single dosages:

at the age of 2-5 years - 2.5 ml each (half of a dosing spoon);
if the child is 6-12 years old - a full measuring spoon (5 ml of medicine);
a patient over twelve years old - 1-1.5 dosage spoon (from 5 to 7.5 ml of the drug).

The frequency of taking syrup based on ivy extract - twice a day, other syrups "Herbion" - three times a day. The duration of use of such drugs usually does not exceed two to three weeks.

However, treatment with a syrup containing ivy extract is limited to one week, and a longer intake is possible only after consulting a doctor.

Overdose

If a child accidentally drinks more syrup than recommended according to their age, diarrhea, vomiting, or severe nausea may occur. In such a situation, it is necessary to cancel the drug and seek medical help.

Interaction with other drugs

Do not give your child any of the Herbion syrups with any antitussive medication. With this combination of drugs, sputum will be less efficiently removed from the respiratory tract, which will adversely affect the patient's condition.

Terms of sale

You do not need a prescription to buy any of the Herbion cough preparations. The cost of a medicine depends on the main components - for a bottle of a plantain-based product you need to pay from 230 to 280 rubles, the average price of a medicine based on a primrose is 250-300 rubles, and one bottle of Herbion ivy costs 340-360 rubles.

Storage

Keep the syrup bottle at home at room temperature, and refrigeration is not recommended. The shelf life of ivy-based medicine is 2 years, other syrups are 3 years. If it has expired, it is prohibited to give medicine to children.

In addition, after opening the bottle, any of the Herbion syrups can be used no longer than three months.

Reviews

There are mostly positive reviews about the use of Herbion herbal cough syrups in children. They note the good tolerance and high efficiency of such funds. According to mothers, it is easy to give medicine to a child, and the healing effect manifests itself rather quickly. The disadvantages of Herbion syrups include the presence of sugar or ethanol in the composition, the relative high cost and the inability to use at an early age.

Analogs

If for some reason you cannot use "Herbion", the doctor will advise another herbal remedy with similar effects on the respiratory tract:

"Gedelix";
"Prospan";
Doctor Theiss;
Althea syrup;
Bronchipret;
"Bronchicum";
"Tussamag";
"Pectusin";
Linkas.

The medicinal effects of such syrups, solutions or drops are due to extracts obtained from ivy, marshmallow, plantain, thyme and other plants. Some of them are allowed to be given even to infants, but only after consulting a doctor. In addition, with a strong cough, the pediatrician can also prescribe medications that have a non-herbal basis, for example, preparations of bromhexine, acetylcysteine or ambroxol.